Remember When
by sharlaaloo143
Summary: A series of one shots from the life of the Charming family in the Enchanted Forest. The curse did not happen, and they got to be the royal family. AU
1. Charming found out about the curse

**Author's Note:** Hi, guys! I've been rereading this story of mine and thought that it needed a few tweaks with the grammar and flow. :) This is one of my favorite stories, so I thought it needed a little attention. Thank you for reading, and I hope you guys enjoy it.

* * *

Snow White has always been described as the girl with hair black as night, lips red as blood, and skin white as snow. She was the fairest in all the realms and the beloved princess of their kingdom. Snow was the epitome of perfection in most people's eyes. She was beautiful, intelligent, and most of all loved.

But when she lost her parents and became the most wanted criminal in the Enchanted Forest, her life completely turned around. Her dresses became rags, her castle became a log, and her crown became a cloak. She was always on the run, always on the edge. To survive became her everyday goal.

Survival consumed her entirely that she forgot to live. That was when she realized the walls she had built around herself indeed shielded her from the dangers of the world, but they also kept out love. She then met Red, Granny, and the dwarfs. They were the family that she never thought she would need after she had lost her parents. No matter what the circumstance, she knows that she can always count on them to have her back. In turn, she knew that she too would be there for each of them.

Charming, however, was an entirely different story.

He was her true love. The thought of him consumed her. She felt incomplete whenever he was not around and breathless every time he was near. He was brave, gentle, and good. Although she knew her surrogate family loved her, Charming loved her with an intensity that scared her, and she him. It scared her because she knew how broken, utterly broken she would be if he ever walked away.

Just the thought of losing Charming makes her want to give herself up to the Evil Queen's wishes. A love like that was dangerous, still is. That is the reason why she listened to King George's wishes to break his heart instead of losing him forever, and why she willingly took that apple from Regina despite it condemning her to eternal sleep. She would risk everything for him.

And Charming, in more than one occasion, proved to her that his love for her was just as fierce. He took the golden arrow that was meant for Regina, called off his wedding in spite of his father's threats, and most of all proved that true love's kiss is the most powerful of all magic, capable of breaking any curse that was thrown to keep them apart.

That was why when he got down on one knee; Snow White did not even hesitate.

However, happy ever after was not exactly reachable, as it seemed at that time. King George's curse made her barren. The thought of not having a child broke her. After abandoning her in their empty campsite, he then sent his soldiers to ambush Charming and his mother. He was a broken man who felt the need to spread his misery upon the people who, he thought, did him wrong. He was the kind of man who would never be truly happy.

The water of Lake Nostos healed her, but it did not change the fact that she ruined any chances of Ruth surviving that fatal arrow wound. It did not change the fact that every single day after her death she thought of nothing but of her mother-in-law. She knew what it felt like to lose a mother. The thought of her taking the life of the family Charming had left…

She needed some air.

Throwing the covers back, she quickly got herself ready for a midnight shooting practice deep in the forest. Knowing at the back of her mind that it was still too dangerous for her to be out in the open with Regina's guards patrolling, she did not find the will to care. She needed a distraction from her own thoughts.

Her secret target range was in a secluded part of the forest. It was encircled by dense forest trees and branches that scratched if one doesn't know where to pass. She positioned herself with her bow and arrow in hand, let go, and felt some relief when she heard the satisfying thump of the arrow buried into the tree's bark.

Arrow after arrow felt across the range, making her forest her troubles for a brief moment. This is good, she thought to herself. She had been restless for the past nights that she looked like an ogre when she emerged from her tent in the morning. She remembered when she said the exact same words to her father when she was younger, making him bellow in laughter.

"Snow, it is impossible for you to look ugly," King Leopold had said with mirth in his eyes at the sight of his daughter sulking. "My dear, you're beautiful no matter what you do, even if you haven't gotten much sleep. You're beautiful just like your mother." Every night after that, her father would make sure she was all right before heading to his own bedchambers. He would wish her a good night after telling her a story. She knew he was tired, but he always put his daughter first before himself.

 _Parents put their children's happiness first, someday you will understand._ Ruth's voice in her head made her gasp and miss her target.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she watched the arrow fly past the tree, making her sit down helplessly on the forest floor. It wasn't fair. Why do people have to die for her? Don't they know how awful it felt to have the burden of having taken someone's life? Their loved ones mourning for their loss was too much for Snow to bear on her own. And one of them was Charming.

"Snow!" Charming's loud voice made her freeze in place. "Snow, where are you?" He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be creating so much noise he's endangering himself. She cursed before gathering her things and silently navigating her way towards his voice. "Snow!" Her heart thudded against her chest as his voice wavered slightly. He was worried.

 _Shut up, Charming. Please shut up. This is dangerous!_

She found him with his back turned to her and quickly ran towards him, placing her hand over his mouth and pulling him towards the dense shrubbery. Too caught up in getting him into safety, she didn't notice him snap back to reality. Charming, without knowing who his captor was, struck her on the side with his elbow.

She cried out before staggering backwards, his powerful strike made her side throb with pain. After he freed himself from her arms, he pulled out his sword before realizing it was her. "Snow?" his voice sounded incredulous. "Snow!" His sword was back in its sheath before he dropped down beside her.

She was holding her side as she muttered, "Yes, it's me."

"What were you thinking?" Charming croaked out, afraid to touch her. "I could've harmed you much worse!"

"Well, I'm certainly not going to let you continue shouting in the dark forest in the middle of the night," she snapped back, eyes blazing. "What were _you_ thinking?"

He had the decency to look sheepish. "I was worried. I found your bed empty." She gave him a questioning look before noticing the deep bags under his eyes. "I thought – I thought they captured you," he breathed out, placing a careful hand on her cheek.

She frowned, seeing the haunted look in his eyes. "Regina doesn't have me," she said softly, placing her hand on his on her cheek. "I'm right here with you, and I'm not going anywhere."

"I can't lose you, too," Charming whispered before leaning in to place a light kiss on her forehead. "You're all I have left." His words brought tears in her eyes as she leaned forward and placed her head on his shoulder. "Are you hurt? Do you want me to carry you back to camp?"

The pain had dulled a bit so she shook her head before saying, "Charming, I have to tell you something."

His brow furrowed when she looked back up at him. Before she could say anything, he lifted her up into his arms, causing her to let out a surprised yelp. "You can tell me where it's safer. I don't want any of Regina's guards ambushing us here."

Snow bit her lower lip and nodded; a bit shy because of the fact that it was the first time he carried her like that. It was the first time a man carried her like that. She directed him towards a clearing she knew that wasn't far from her shooting range. It was a calm lake that looked beautiful with the moon shining on the water. He carefully placed her down on the log that faced the water before saying, "This is beautiful."

"I used to come here all the time when I was a bandit," she answered him quietly, eyes trained in front of her as he settled down beside her. "Just to take my mind off of things."

"Besides the cliff?" he asked, a smirk in his voice. She blushed as she thought about their encounter on the cliff, but that was a story for another day. They were both quiet for a few moments before he realized what was bothering her. "Snow. I know you think that my mother's death was your doing." She inwardly winced at that. "But it's not. It was King George, not you."

She felt another round of tears coming as she breathed out, "Yes, everything was his doing."

Charming grabbed her hand to make her look at him. "Snow, you have to tell me what's wrong."

Her lower lip trembled as she looked at his worried expression. What she was about to say was going to crush his heart, but she knew she had no other choice. He had the right to know. "I –," she sighed, closing her eyes as she did not want to see his reaction. "Lancelot captured me after I left the camp. He brought me to King George, and the king cursed me by poisoning me." Her watery eyes opened to see his darkened expression, silent rage bubbling to the surface. "He made me barren, Charming," her voice caught as she said his name.

"Ruth knew," she continued, looking down at their intertwined hands. Charming was gripping hers so tightly, but she couldn't feel a thing. "And she made sure that the water from Lake Nostos was going to heal me. She gave it up for me. Lancelot placed the water in the wedding chalice so that I would drink it."

Her love wasn't saying anything but had a pained expression on his face. His jaw was set as he stared out on the calm waters. "Charming," she whispered brokenly as tears rolled down her cheeks. She pulled at his hand gently. "Charming, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"You should've told me," he said, voice raw with emotion. "You should've told me about the curse. We're engaged. We can't keep secrets from each other, not like this."

"I want to tell you," Snow insisted, scooting closer to him and placing their intertwined hands on her lap. "I would have told you after making sure Ruth was going to be okay. I didn't want to trouble you even more. But when she –," she stopped, making Charming close his eyes painfully. "I couldn't bear to tell you that we were never going to have a child right after you just lost the person you loved the most."

His eyes opened, flashing almost angrily. "She's my mother. I loved her dearly, I always will. But the person who holds my heart in her hands, the only person capable of breaking me entirely if she died is you, Snow White. But do you really think this is only about my mother dying? George poisoned you, Snow, and you didn't think that I had the right to know?"

"I know I should've told you," she said immediately. "I know, and I'm sorry but –."

"I love you, Snow," Charming interrupted, cupping her face with his hands. "The thought of someone even _looking_ at you the wrong way makes me want to…" He closed his eyes to calm himself down. She placed her hands on his forearms in comfort, as if silently telling him that she was here. She was his. "King George will pay. Not just because of what he did to my mother, but because of what he did to you."

Snow felt more tears escape her eyes at the fierceness in his eyes. Nobody has ever loved anyone as much as Prince Charming loved Snow White, and it was startling prominent at that moment. "It will take time for me to move on from my mother's death," he continued, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. "But I know this is what she wanted. She wanted me to have a family, even if it meant that…that she wouldn't be here to see it."

"But I took her life, Charming," she sputtered, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "I took her life, and –."

"You didn't," he interrupted, firmly but still loving. "You didn't. She gave it up willingly for our future, for our family."

It took a white for Snow to calm down with the help of a warm embrace and a couple of kisses from Charming. After which, she looked for any sign of hate in Charming's eyes and found none, but she had to make sure. "You don't hate me, do you?" she asked quietly.

Charming looked surprised before chuckling softly. He stroked her hair lovingly as he said, "I can never ever hate you, Snow. That's a fact. I love you too much." A touched smile appeared on her face before she leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips.

He pulled her back in his arms after, and she rested her chin on his shoulder, suddenly feeling tired because of the late hour and all the crying. "We have to honor her," she said quietly. He kissed the side of her head, and she felt his smile as he did.

"I would love that," he said.

That was why their princess, their daughter born out of true love, was named after her grandmother. The couple wanted this not just for Ruth's memory but also with the wish that their daughter will grow up as selfless, as loving, and as good as her grandmother once was.

"Hello, Emma Ruth," Charming cooed at his daughter in his arms as Snow watched them with a loving smile on her face. "I'm your daddy."


	2. Snow found out she was pregnant

Prior to the royal wedding, the entire kingdom was bubbling with excitement. Everyone was excited for their new king and queen to be wed and pronounced as their new rulers, more than ready to put the entire reign of the Evil Queen behind them. They were excited for the change, filled with renewed hope for a better future under their new monarchs. Prince Charming and Snow White were beautiful, intelligent, and good, a very huge contrast to their previous ruler.

Unbeknownst to them that their future king and queen were tackling a different, a bit disorienting and unexpected turn on events a week before the said wedding. The castle was busy with the preparations, the flowers and the little things that are needed to make the wedding go without a hitch. Snow and Charming were still in their bedroom in the family wing of the palace, bickering.

The future king was anxious. Everyday, he watched helplessly as Snow deposited almost all of the contents of her stomach into a bucket. It was almost like his wake-up call every morning. Snow tried to placate his worries, insisting that she felt fine afterwards. Although he was no doctor, he did have eyes, and it was quite clear to him that she was not okay at all.

"Please, Snow," Charming pleaded following his wife – fiancée in the eyes of many – back to their chambers. "I want you to rest today. It's the third day that this has happened, and I'm really getting worried. I want you in bed as I send someone to get Doc to have you checked out. Can you do that for me?"

"Charming," Snow sighed exasperatedly, turning around to face him. She was trying to look fine, but Charming knew better. "I am fine. Besides, I have so much to do before the wedding. I can't postpone it just because I'm feeling under the weather. They need my help with the musicians, and I have to go down to have my final fitting. I really can't –."

"Right now, I don't really care if you wear a sack on the day or what flowers will be used for the reception," he answered back, grabbing her hands. She was angry with him already, so he wasn't surprised when she pulled them back. "I want you to rest, Snow. That's an order." His tone was authoritative.

"Oh, so now you're ordering me around? Is that what marriage is for you?" she snapped back. Before he could say anything, she held up her hand, "You're overreacting, David." He felt surprise as she used his name, his real name. "I'm going to work today whether you like it or not."

"Snow, listen to me –."

"No, you listen to me," she interrupted, advancing towards him. "We have a kingdom to run. Right now, this is just the wedding, and I have work to do. Get used to it, Charming. It's about time that you realize that the world will not stop just because I have a little bug. They need me for the preparations."

Charming's eyes blazed in anger. "Do you think I don't know that? Snow, we've been running the kingdom for over a month now, and I have experience when I filled in for my brother for your information. But just because you're the queen doesn't mean that you're not human. They will understand if you tell them that you needed to rest."

"But I don't need rest, Charming! I'm fine!" she huffed before marching back into the bath where a chambermaid was waiting for her, trying to pretend that she didn't hear the whole thing. She gave her a tight smile as the maid helped her with her clothes and shut the door with more force than necessary to prove a point to her husband.

Charming sighed before walking out of the bedchambers. Lancelot was standing by the door with his face passive as he waited for his king's instructions. He had become a sort of right-hand man of Charming and a good friend. "Have someone by her side today," Charming said to him to which he nodded. "If anything happens, alert me at once."

* * *

Snow was furious, though if she were to be completely honest she didn't know _why_ she was that angry. It was not like Charming was wrong now that she thought about it. Her eyes felt tired as she watched the chambermaid's reflection in the mirror, brushing her long, unruly hair gently. Admittedly, she was the one who slightly overreacted.

What she felt the last couple of days was odd to say the least. One minute she was happy as a clown, and the next she felt like crying because she had stepped over a bug. A small bug, but a bug nonetheless. She was always hungry, and there were certain smells that made her stomach turn. She was always craving odd combinations of food and, most of all, Charming's attention. But at the same time, she always found something to fight about, even the silliest, most trivial things like the window open or the blanket being too warm.

Her emotions and senses were in an all-time high. Suddenly, without even thinking about it, she pulled the brush away from the maid, startling the latter. "That's enough, you may go now." Snow's tone was so cold that the maid quickly bowed and exited the chambers, wondering what she did wrong.

The rest of the day was quite uneventful. She checked on all the preparations for the big event: the guest list, the food, the orchestra, the flowers, and, most importantly, her wedding gown. The latter was the one she looked forward to the most. Later that afternoon, she excitedly quickened her pace towards the fitting room at the end of the hall. She opened the door and gasped at what she saw.

It was beautiful. The bodice, the feathers, everything was exactly the way she imaged it would be. She walked over and ran her fingers down the soft material, smiling as she did. Then suddenly, she felt hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Your majesty, is it all right?" the head seamstress, Freya, asked anxiously, gauging her princess's reaction. Snow nodded happily without saying anything, much to her relief. "I'm glad, your majesty. Let's have you try it on then."

She, with the help of three others, helped Snow get into the dress. Snow looked at her reflection in the mirror before bursting into another round of tears. "I'm sorry," she gasped, trying to look at all of them at the same time. "I'm just – it's so beautiful." A maid handed her a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Thanks," she smiled lightly before dabbing her cheeks. For a moment, she looked at the dress before frowning when she remembered her fight with her husband earlier than day.

 _Does he still love me? Will he love this dress? It's so beautiful. It would be a shame if he doesn't love it._ Snow thought, her mind racing a hundred miles an hour. _What if he's having second thoughts? What if the wedding won't push through? What have I done?_

The seamstress was still busy checking for any undone part of the dress, and the three maids were gushing about how beautiful Snow looked. They were all blissfully oblivious to how Snow was drowning in her thoughts. Before anyone could react, Snow gathered the skirt and ran out of the room in search of her prince.

"Oh, your majesty!" Freya called from the room in alarm, surprised at the princess's abrupt exit. "Your majesty, wait!" Her words fell on deaf ears as Snow ran from the room. She needed to find Charming. Now.

A guard suddenly stood in her way, grabbing her by the arms. "How dare you?" she gasped, struggling to get out of his grasp. "Let go of me! I am your queen!" she shouted, pulling her arms away from him.

He removed his helmet with one hand before grabbing her arm again, making sure she won't leave his sight. It was Lancelot. "Snow, what in the world is going on? What's wrong?" he asked, seeing the tears streaming down her cheeks. He looked concerned.

Snow's chest heaved as she looked behind him hysterically. "I need to find Charming. I don't want to lose him. I love him, Lancelot. I love him so much," she cried but didn't fight to pull away anymore.

"All right, all right," Lancelot said, trying to calm the princess down. "Okay. I will help you find him. Will that be okay?" he asked, trying to make eye contact to make sure she was fine. "Okay, your majesty?"

Snow looked at him before taking a deep breath. After a second she nodded, "Okay. I need to tell him… I can't lose him. I can't lose Charming." She looked down at her dress as Lancelot let her arm go. The way Snow said those words squeezed Lancelot's heart because he knew how it felt like to love someone that much, but that was a long time ago.

He cleared his throat as he noticed what she was wearing. "Is that your wedding dress?" he asked lightly.

Her expression changed in a blink of an eye, startling him but he tried not to let it show. She _beamed_ at him, "Yes." She bit her lower lip. "Isn't it gorgeous?"

"You're quite a sight, your majesty," he complimented, making Snow smile brightly. "But are you sure you want James to see this? Before the wedding? Wouldn't that kind of ruin the surprise?"

Snow gasped, as if realizing something horrible. "Right. Right, I have to go. I – thank you, Lancelot. Thank you so much." She gathered the skirt again before running back to the fitting room, leaving the knight a little dumbfounded.

* * *

"She is quite unwell, Sir." Lancelot reported back to his king, shaking his head slightly. He was still uncertain whether what happened that afternoon was indeed what happened. "She was in her wedding dress and was hysterical. She was looking for you, saying that she had to tell you something." He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed about what he was about to say. "That she can't lose you, Sir."

Charming's heart softened. "Thank you, Lancelot. I'll take it from here." Lancelot bowed before walking away from Charming. The latter sighed before opening the door of their chambers, wanting to retire for the night. He saw that Snow was turned away from him, looking up at the night sky from her place on the balcony. He smiled a little as he closed the door behind him quietly.

After taking off some of his royal garb and leaving him in his undershirt, he walked over to her without a sound before wrapping his arms around her. She jumped at the sudden contact, not having heard him enter the room. "Oh," Snow gasped. "Charming, you scared me."

The prince gave his princess a sweet kiss on the side of her head before saying, "What are you thinking about?"

She was quiet for a moment before turning around in his arms. She placed her hands on his chest before looking up at him, "I don't like it when we fight."

"Neither do I," he said before leaning in and giving her a long kiss. She smelled of flowers and cinnamon, and he wanted nothing more than to whisk her away to bed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she smiled beautifully. "Charming, I have to tell you something."

He pulled her closer to him as he asked. "What is it?"

"I'm sure Lancelot had told you about what happened this afternoon," Snow said sheepishly, a blush tainting her cheeks. She was sure the good knight was going to hold that over her head for quite some time. Charming chuckled at her expression and nodded, urging her to go on. "That's when I realized something was definitely wrong with me."

Charming's face grew serious. "And?"

"I spoke with Doc," she answered with a soft smile, looking at her hands on his chest. "He said something… quite expected. " She laughed a little at her words.

"Snow, you're killing me. Are you okay?" he asked with worried eyes, lifting her chin up for her to look at him.

Snow bit her lower lip to keep the tears at bay before whispering, "Charming, I'm pregnant."

It took a moment for him to realize what she meant. He blinked a couple of times before saying, "Wait, what?"

She laughed with tears rolling down her cheeks before placing her hands to cup his face. "Charming, you're going to be a father."

The pure love and joy in his face was something that Snow was going to remember forever. He let out a laugh as he lifted her up and spun her, making her giggle in surprise. "A baby!" he gasped when he placed her down. He gave her a passionate kiss before kneeling down to face her stomach where their baby was growing. "Hi, baby. I'm your daddy, and I love you so much."

Snow laughed, tears in her eyes. After he had kissed her stomach, he pushed himself up and said, "Now, I'm never going to let you work." When she gave him a warning glare, he chuckled, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I'm just teasing." Though he was sure he's definitely going to limit her responsibilities. "How did this happen? When?" he placed his hands on her hips, looking down at her still-flat stomach.

"Our wedding night?" she laughed, placing a hand on his nape. "The wedding Lancelot officiated." She leaned forward as if to tell him a great secret and whispered in his ear, "Or the nights after that?"

He laughed and cupped her face with his hands before peppering kisses over her forehead and cheeks, making her giggle. His kiss lingered at her lips before he placed his forehead on hers. "We're going to have a child."

"We're going to have a child," she confirmed, giggling happily. "Charming, we're going to be a family."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Leave your thoughts on the review box below! Thanks for reading!


	3. Grumpy saved the day

The princess was missing.

The news spread quickly across the kingdom about the eight-year-old's disappearance. Everyone suspected it was the Evil Queen's doing and worried that the princess might suffer a terrible fate if not found immediately. Soldiers were sent out, but the king himself was restless. Charming knew he needed to do something; this was his daughter who was in danger. He knew that even if he tried to do the paperwork the advisers told him to do while they search for the princess; it would not be productive since his mind is somewhere else.

When he arrived at the War Room, he was surprised to see Snow rummaging through the trunk of weapons. She didn't notice his arrival. "You told me not to worry." Charming announced his presence, making her jump. She looked at him incredulously with her hand on his chest.

"As if I am not frightened enough, Charming!" she admonished before turning back to her task. Her brave façade in front of the soldiers was long gone at that point. All she wanted was her daughter back safely in her arms.

"Hey," he said gently, pulling her arm to make her face him. She already had her sheath of arrows behind her and a bow on hand. She looked every inch of the fierce princess he loved and knew that Emma was going to be okay with her as her mother. Not to mention he will be there alongside her. "She will be fine," he said. "We will find her, Snow."

"I know that we'll find her, but that would not happen if we just sit here like everyone wants us to do. We're her parents, Charming," she frowned before insisting. "We have to do something."

"And we will," Charming answered, grabbing his sword. "Here's to one more adventure together."

* * *

Emma was scared. This place was cold, dark, and dirty. There were mice running around, but she bit her lower lip from screaming in surprise, not wanting to alert the guards or _her_. The Evil Queen, as she introduced herself earlier to the little princess, was someone Emma didn't want to anger. She was scary enough as it is.

Pulling her legs closer to her chest, she wondered how much longer it would take for her daddy to come and find her. It was her little family's secret. They will always find each other, whether it be a game of hide and seek or in the midst of the toughest battles. She knew that she could count on her father to save the day.

Part of her also wanted her mother there with her. Snow White proved to be one of the fiercest women Emma knew. She knew that if her momma were there, she would make everything better. Momma had the most wonderful singing voice and always hoped for the better. She taught her how to use the bow and arrow. Maybe she would even make this dirty place a little bit tidier. She knew exactly how to comfort her little girl, but she didn't fear to punish her when needed. Momma was the only one who could punish her because her father was wrapped around her little finger.

Although, there was one time that her father got mad at her. She was bored at the castle, so she went wandering into the forest. She did not notice the time, and soon it was dark. There were wolves howling in the distance making her whimper and hide behind one of the trees. It was not very long before Aunty Red found her. Emma cried with her mother after Charming scolded her. She promised to herself and to them to never wander off alone again.

Momma had explained why her Dad was so upset. Emma saw how fearful her brave mother was as she told her that the Evil Queen might take her away from them. She told her that her and Daddy would be heartbroken if the Evil Queen would harm her.

She stood by her promise and didn't wander this time. The queen found her instead. She was in the stables with Grumpy, brushing the mane of her favorite horse when Grumpy suddenly collapsed onto the floor. She screamed when she saw the Evil Queen appear out of thin air, dressed to the nines. Her hand was still glowing with the aftereffects of magic. Her grin sent shivers down the princess's spine. "You're coming with me," she announced before enveloping her into a cloud of smoke.

"Where are you taking me?" Emma asked her fearfully as Regina took her down to the prison cells of her castle. The princess couldn't help but tear up at the sight and smell of the cells. "Where's Momma? And Daddy?" The queen did not answer her as she threw her into the cell and closed it shut.

"Oh, they'll be here," she answered the princess as she locked it firmly. Her smile showed she had a hidden agenda in mind. "They'll be here to save the day." Emma noticed that her sarcastic tone had a bitter bite to it, like she knew that her parents always had their way.

Emma sighed as she rested her chin on her knees. This was taking too long. There was a loud sound, making the princess look up expectantly. Her heart sank a little when she saw that it was just a guard with her meal. She realized that she was hungry.

"Here you go, princess," the guard said, sliding the tray under the railings. She glanced up at him and caught a passing expression of sympathy before he turned and left her alone. She reached for the spoon and tasted the soup. She spat it back before pushing the tray away, shuddering at the aftertaste of the disgusting soup.

She went back into her position with her chin on top of her arms. Suddenly, she missed her castle. She missed her parents. She missed the meals they always have as her stomach grumbled angrily. Tears flooded her vision, but she hastily wiped them away.

Emma stared at the tray since it was the newest thing in her cell. Now she noticed that the spoon was broken and tied together with two thin pieces of metal. _Well, that's an interesting way to do it,_ she thought to herself.

Then, she got an idea.

Her mother taught this to her once. Daddy admonished her, saying that she's teaching Emma how to be a criminal at such a young age. She hushed him, making Emma giggle. But right now, it seemed like the only way to get out of here.

She peeled them one by one and straightened them out. She slowly made the lock face her, careful not to make any noise. Pushing the two pieces into the keyhole, she remembered her mother saying, _it is all about the tumblers, honey._

It was not working. Emma bit her lower lip as she tried harder, but it doesn't look promising. The little girl felt frustrated as she thought of her mother doing it with ease and grace. She sighed before deciding to give it one last try. She gasped in delight when she heard the familiar click and quickly pulled the chain freely.

She winced when she pushed the cell door, and it squealed loudly in protest as if it wanted to keep her there. Well, it was kind of its job. She shook her head to clear her thoughts before collecting the front of her skirt and made her way through the tunnels. It was damp and cold, and it felt like the air was limited.

She was underground.

She stopped and quickly looked around, remembering an advice Grumpy once told her about the mines and how to get out. _Maybe it will work in here as well,_ she thought excitedly.

But before she could make another step, guards suddenly appeared from both sides of the tunnel. Her heart sank, and her body suddenly felt heavy with fear. She was trapped.

"The Queen is expecting your presence in her room, your highness," one of the black guards grinned unkindly. "We would not want to disappoint her."

* * *

Mommy and Daddy were in the room.

Emma felt excitement rushing through her veins as she ran towards the two figures. Snow sank to her knees with her arms wide open for her, her eyes filled with tears and a silent plea for her to run faster. Charming was looking at her with worried eyes, hand on the hilt of his sword. The princess was halfway through the room when she felt herself freeze in place. She struggled to make her feet move but couldn't.

"Let her go, Regina!" Charming shouted with his sword poised in front of the Evil Queen who was suddenly behind her. Emma didn't notice her standing there when she entered the room. She felt her heart thud as her eyes darted from the queen to her parents, wanting nothing more to bury herself in her mother's arms.

"Please, Regina," Snow pleaded, tears rolling down her cheeks. "We can talk about this. Just please let our daughter go. She has nothing to do with this."

"And what? Deny me the pleasure of watching your happy ending crush into pieces?" Regina asked haughtily as she walked towards Emma with a menacing grin on her face. "It's bad enough that she was the savior everyone was waiting for that broke the curse before it even started." Emma was shaking as she looked up at her stepgrandmother in fear. "My, my. Aren't you the prettiest little thing? She reminds me of you, Snow."

Emma saw her mother's eyes widen at her words before she poised her bow and arrow, directing it towards Regina. "Step away from my daughter, Regina. Lay one finger on her, and I will kill you." The princess's heart was racing with tension, knowing her mother never missed her shot.

"Wow, that's a bit dark for you, Snow," Regina taunted. She tested her by making her way towards Emma anyway. An arrow flew towards her, making Emma hold her breath and close her eyes. When she didn't hear the weapon bury itself in flesh, she looked up and saw Regina holding it with her hand. She threw it on the floor before mocking Snow, "Is that the best you got?"

Before anyone else could react, she sank her hand into Emma's chest. "No!" Snow and Charming exclaimed in horror. However, Regina couldn't pull her heart from her chest, her brow furrowing as she struggled to get it out. Emma felt like she was suffocating the longer Regina had her vice grip around her heart. The pain was so intense that she felt her eyes water and her knees giving in under her. She would've fallen onto the floor if it wasn't for the magic holding her up.

Suddenly, an arrow flew across the room and sank into the Evil Queen's shoulder. Regina exclaimed her surprise, having caught unguarded by the surprise attack. Her magic on Emma disappeared, letting the princess go. Emma sank onto the floor with her shoulders heaving as she panted painfully, trying to catch her breath.

"Emma!" her parents raced towards her as Regina staggered backwards.

"One more of your tricks, sister, and I will not regret killing you," Grumpy said with his bow and arrow pointed at the queen. He was hiding behind the Evil Queen's vanity, having sneaked in while the monarchs were talking and were too busy to notice his entrance. Charming nodded his thanks, his hand on Snow's back and another on Emma, before he turned back to his family.

"Mommy," Emma gasped out, collapsing into her mother's arms. Snow hugged her little girl tightly, tears coming out of her closed eyelids. Grumpy signaled the guards, and they surrounded the Evil Queen immediately. Regina grimaced after she had pulled out the arrow from her shoulder.

"This isn't over," Regina warned Charming and Snow, eyes narrowing with malicious intent. "You will see me again."

"We'll take it from here, your majesties," Grumpy told them, ignoring the queen's words. "Go take care of Emma."

* * *

"How can we ever thank you, Grumpy?" Snow asked the loved dwarf gratefully the next day. They were in the War Room about to discuss Regina's detention case, but only the three of them were present at the moment because of the early hour. "You deserve a token of appreciation. Name what you want."

"It's the least I could do, sister," he replied, giving her a tight smile. "After I failed at the stables, I wanted to make it up to Emma somehow, and to you two."

"That's nobody's fault, Grumpy," Charming smiled at him warmly. "Thank you. Without you, I don't know what would've happened. We didn't know what to do."

Snow added, "All that matters now is to make sure Regina doesn't do anything like that to anyone again."

The door opened suddenly, and the guard announced the princess's arrival loudly. The blonde princess didn't even wait for the announcement to finish as she half-ran towards the three people sitting around the table. "Grumpy!" she called out as she made her way towards him. "These are for you!" She then offered him a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, obviously from Snow's garden.

The couple grinned at the blush on Grumpy's face. "Why, thank you, Emma," he said, taking the flowers gently. "These are pretty. I'll put them in a vase when I get home."

"You're a hero!" Emma exclaimed like she had not heard anything he had said and threw her arms around him in a hug. She let go almost immediately, not noticing how awkward Grumpy felt with her enthusiasm. "Did you know that I remembered what you told me about the mines?"

"Really now?" he grinned proudly.

"Yes! I remembered how to get out!" Emma said, eyes wide with excitement. "Also! Mommy, I remembered the tumblers."

Charming snorted, making his wife hit him on the arm. Snow then smiled brightly at her daughter. "That's amazing, honey."

Emma told them about her adventure animatedly, forgetting about the bad stuff for a while though it still plagued her dreams some nights, until the others arrived for their meeting. For Snow and Charming, this was what their happy ending looked like. Their happy ending was their family around them.

And that family wouldn't be complete without Grumpy.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Third one! Tell me what you think using the review box below! :)


	4. Charming was seriously injured

The Enchanted Forest was a wonder in the springtime; everything was coming back to life from the harsh winter. Flowers were blooming, trees were greener than ever, and the animals were starting to wake from their winter sleep to see the new day. The weather was still a little chilly, but that didn't stop the two royals from going on an adventure even though it meant a heavier overcoat necessary.

"Daddy, faster!" The golden haired princess called out through the horses' thundering hooves. She leaned forward as she urged her horse to go faster, not wanting her father to overtake her. It was one of the days when her father wasn't busy with all his royal duties and had the time to spend with her.

"I can't exactly go faster, not when you're blocking the way, princess," the king shot back. Emma giggled before slowing her horse down. When her horse stopped, she looked back and saw her father's defeated face as he slowly made his way towards her, but the mirth in his eyes didn't diminish. He loved spending time with his daughter.

"You're getting slow, Daddy. I think it's the old age," fifteen-year-old Emma smirked; proudly knowing that only she could get away with teasing the king. Probably, Momma and Neal, as well, but they weren't there with them.

Charming rolled his eyes but grinned nonetheless. "People have been saying I'm getting more handsome with age."

"Have they?" Emma laughed as she dismounted her horse. "I'm quite certain that they just don't want to hurt your feelings, Dad, especially with all that white hair appearing here and there." Charming feigned hurt, making her grin. "I'm just teasing, Dad."

He huffed, as if not hearing her last sentence. "That's encouraging, especially when it came from my own daughter."

"I love you," she sang, eyes twinkling. She gathered her bow and arrow while her father armed himself with his sword and dagger. Every time they went on an adventure in the forest, they were always armed, making sure that they could defend themselves in the unlikely event that the black knights or some villain appeared. The kingdom was surprisingly quiet these days, a sense of normalcy setting in.

"What exactly are we trying to accomplish again?" Emma asked, swaying her arms impatiently as she waited.

"Your mother is in need of cinnamon," her father answered as he tied up both their horses securely on a low branch. "You know how she gets when she doesn't get her cinnamon."

"Neal's getting the worst of it, I'm sure," she laughed, causing Charming to smile. "I'm so glad she made me come with you, otherwise…" she shuddered dramatically. "Mom's scary when she's pregnant."

Charming chuckled, "Only when she doesn't get her way. Come on."

They continued the rest of their journey on foot, passing by a stream on the way. Charming was thankful for the break, feeling dehydrated after their two-hour journey from the castle. It took him a moment to realize that it was the stream where he nearly drowned after Snow pushed him into it years ago. He couldn't help but grin as he told his daughter the story, the latter laughing when he finished.

"Mom's the best," she smiled.

They were both quiet for a moment, him waiting for her to finish drinking. After she had finished, she looked at her father and was about to say something when she suddenly stilled. Charming looked at her in concern when he realized that she had heard something he didn't. "What is it?"

He was immediately alert. They shared this sixth sense of knowing when someone was near. Charming realized with great fear that they were surrounded at that moment. Emma looked into his eyes and gave him a curt nod and a small smile, as if reassuring him that it'll be fine. _I'm okay, Dad._

Charming immediately stood up with his sword poised in front of him and felt Emma's back on his. She drew her bow and arrow, aiming at the impending danger. This was one of the things he missed doing with Snow, a prince and a princess on an adventure. To be honest, having his wife with him that moment would be great. Snow could handle herself well in a fight, and he knew that despite his anxiety. But with Emma, it's different. She's his baby girl and should be safe in the palace, not in the forest surrounded like this.

Regina's black knights slowly showed themselves, making Charming tense as he counted them. He would have been okay if he were alone, but now he's distracted, worried about Emma's safety. She should leave. Now.

As if reading his thoughts, Emma said quietly for his ears only, "Dad, I'm fine. I can do this, and I'm not going anywhere."

After a beat, the fighting began. Sword against sword was ringing loudly through the otherwise calm clearing, and he realized that there were more knights that he originally accounted for. The sound of perfectly aimed arrows sounded like music to Charming's ears. Snow taught her well. He was momentarily distracted that he didn't notice the blade cutting through the leather on his side, slicing through some flesh as well.

"Dad!" Emma cried, having seen the whole thing.

"Focus, Emma!" Charming answered back, trying to distract himself from the pain by fighting back. The black knights have weakened, but there were still four standing. He lost himself into the battle, having done this a thousand times before.

 _Protect Emma. Protect Emma._ It became his mantra as he fought off the last of the soldiers. After the last soldier fell into the stream, his blood coloring the clear water, Charming turned around to check on Emma, but what he saw made his blood run cold. Emma was out of arrows and on her knees. The last black knight knew he had them both once he had the princess's life in his hands.

Charming immediately let his sword go, raising his hands up in the air. "All right. There's no need for that. Let her go, and take me instead," he said as calmly as he could, but he was anything but calm. His heart was racing at the sight of the knight's blade against his daughter's throat. "Let my daughter go."

Emma whimpered when the knight pushed the blade further into her flesh. "My, what the queen would give to see that look on your face, your majesty," the knight mocked, making the princess furious. She tried to squirm, but the knight had his hold on her tight.

Charming looked absolutely lost. She knew he wanted her safe more than anything and wished the same for him, but emotion was clouding both their judgments. She had to do something to get out of this mess and fast. Her father needed medical attention with that wound on his side. It looked deep, even though the blood wasn't apparent against the brown leather.

Movement caught her eye as her father tried to reason with the exhilarated knight. The latter was becoming too relaxed, and she had noticed. She looked again at the side where the movement came from and began to grin when she realized who it was.

Armed with Granny's crossbow, Red closed one eye, let out a deep breath as she aimed at her target carefully. She had to be certain with her target since he was dangerously close to her goddaughter. After releasing another breath, the arrow flew across the clearing and sank into the knight's neck, killing him instantly.

The sudden thud behind Emma made her scramble up to her feet and towards her father. Charming blinked in shock with the sudden turn of events, looking at the origin of the arrow, and sagged with relief when he saw Red approaching them. It was nice to see a familiar face, especially when his vision was starting to blur around the edges.

"Dad!" Emma gasped, grabbing his arm. That hurt. "Dad, are you all right? You're bleeding." Her tone was worried as she placed a hand on her father's side to suppress the wound and was rewarded with a guttural groan that scared her. "Daddy?"

He groaned in pain but nodded, "I'm fine. Nothing a little –."

Charming suddenly felt nauseous, and his knees gave away under him. "Dad!" Emma cried out, very much afraid of how pale her father was quickly becoming. He was losing too much blood. "Aunty Red!" she whimpered, looking up at her aunt.

"He'll be fine," Red answered immediately, preparing to hoist her friend up. "We just need to get him on my horse. All right, Emma? He'll be fine. Now help me." Emma immediately complied and helped Red carry her father back to where their horses were. The walk back was excruciatingly slow for the princess who wanted nothing more than to poof her father back to the castle if only she had the magic to.

Charming was starting to close his eyes, making Red snap, "James, so help me, open your eyes or I won't hear the end of it from Snow." Red pressed hard on his wound, and it jolted him back to reality quite painfully. "Eyes open."

"I'll try," he answered sleepily. He was getting heavier with every step. Emma felt tears burning in her eyes as she thought to herself. _Please don't die, Daddy. Please don't die on me._

* * *

Panic began to set in the castle when word came from the stables that the king and the princess were gravely injured. The people immediately knew not to alert the queen, knowing that she was in a delicate situation with her pregnancy. Six-year-old Neal, however, raced to his mother's chambers, frantic with the news he had just received.

"Dad and Emma are hurt!" Neal's opening statement could not be more direct.

"What?" Snow cried out. She ran out of the room and saw people carrying her pale husband into one of the other bedchambers with maids and Doc hurrying in after him. Neal ran towards the room. Before Snow could stop him, she spotted Emma who had too much blood on her clothes that it made the mother panic even more.

"Momma!" Emma called out in relief, running towards her.

"Are you hurt?" Snow asked frantically, pulling back to check on her for any injuries. She cupped her daughter's cheeks as she asked, "Emma? What happened? Why are you –?"

"Mom, I'm fine," she interrupted, trying to assure her. The last thing Snow needed was to stress herself out. "I'm fine. It's Dad – he's… the black knights," she started to sob. "I tried to save him, but –." Her emotions overpowered her speech, making her hug her mother tightly.

Snow helplessly wrapped her arms around her with tears burning in her eyes. _Her daughter, her poor daughter,_ she thought as she ran a hand through her messed-up braid. She pulled back to look into her eyes and asked, "Are you okay? You're not hurt?"

Emma shook her head but whimpered, "Daddy's hurt. I'm sorry – I wasn't fast enough."

"Emma, you're not responsible for this. The black knights were," Snow explained firmly. "Your father, I have no doubt, is immensely proud of you. So am I. You were very brave, sweetheart." Emma gave her a small smile when her mother kissed her cheek.

"You go clean yourself up. All right?" Snow recited with a tight smile. "Your father's going to be just fine. You'll see." She didn't know whether she was convincing her daughter or herself.

Emma looked drained from the day's events. She nodded tiredly before hugging her mother again, closing her eyes as she rested her chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry we weren't able to get the cinnamon, Momma."

So that was what Charming was grumbling about earlier, something about the incompetent kitchen staff they had. She wasn't able to say anything when he stormed into their chambers, grabbed his cloak, and kissed her goodbye, saying that he and Emma would be back before sundown. She sighed, coming back to the present, "That's the least of our problems right now, sweetheart." She wiped her daughter's cheeks. "Now go clean up. You can see Daddy later."

She was about to leave when Emma pulled her back. The haunted look on her daughter's face told her everything she needed to know. Her daughter needed her now more than ever. Her heart was heavy. She wanted to see how Charming was doing, but she knew what he would say. She gave Emma a smile and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Come. I'll wash your hair. How does that sound?"

Emma brightened up a little and nodded.

* * *

Snow waited for her daughter to undress and get herself into the foamy bath. She busied herself by putting out a fresh white nightgown for her and laid it on the bed. She made sure that the brushes she needed more her daughter's unruly hair was on the vanity. She was opening the balcony doors when Emma called out to tell her she was ready.

They were quiet for a few minutes. The only sound was the splashing of water as Snow washed Emma's hair diligently. She wished Emma would talk. The mere thought of killing can send shivers down one's spine, but the reality of doing it can be mentally and physically draining. Too add to that, Emma was way too young to be exposed to something like that.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Snow asked softly.

"Not really," Emma mumbled, liking the gentle way her mother handled her unlike the chambermaids who worked as fast as they could. She felt her eyelids getting heavier by the moment, lulled by her mother's actions, the warm bath, and the rhythmic sound of the water.

"Well, I know for a fact that talking about it would ease your mind," Snow prodded gently, not knowing she jolted Emma out of a sleeplike trance.

The princess was quiet. Snow sighed softly before deciding to give it up for now, knowing that her daughter was probably tired from the day's excitement, but then she started to talk. "I imagined them as targets. Like the ones we used for practice," she said quietly. Her mother continued her task, not saying a word.

"At first, I didn't feel anything. I just knew that I had to protect Daddy." Emma's words warmed her heart, making her eyes tear up a bit. She was her selfless princess, her wonderful, beautiful, and brave little princess who never ceased to amaze her. "It felt exhilarating. All of our practice paid off."

"I looked over just in time to see that he was injured," Emma continued, talking as if she were in a trance. "There was blood. So much blood."

"There was a brief moment when I finally saw what happened. Knights had arrows through their necks or their heads," she winced, causing Snow's heart to break a little. "For a moment, I felt lost. I felt tired because of the adrenaline rush. I lost my concentration, and a black knight threatened to kill me."

Snow's hand stopped abruptly. Emma looked up at her and told her with a serious tone, "I'm okay. He didn't get to do anything."

Emma settled back into her original position, and Snow slowly went back to what she was doing. Snow asked, suddenly intrigued. "Then what happened?"

"He was the only knight left. Daddy surrendered told him that he should let me go and take him instead," she answered. "I wouldn't let him go through with that even if he'd ground me until I'm thirty."

Snow chuckled a little. _Like father, like daughter._ Emma continued, "But then I saw Aunty Red. She had Granny's crossbow. She saved us. She helped me carry Daddy back on his horse and made sure we arrived home as fast as possible."

The mother closed her eyes, silently thanking her best friend. What would they do without her? She had to give Red something in return, just a little token of gratitude. She squeezed the remaining water out of her daughter's hair before wrapping it with a big towel to dry.

Emma's storytelling stopped as they made their way back to her bedchambers. She let her mother fuss over her since it had been a long time since she let her do it. She was sitting in front of the vanity after she got dressed, and Snow was getting ready to brush her hair when she got her attention. "Mom?" she asked, sounding even younger than she was.

"Yes, baby?" her mother smiled at the mirror, gently running her fingers through her blonde hair.

Emma's lower lip trembled. "Am I bad person?"

Snow's hand stilled. Emma looked like she was about to cry again. Snow mentally prepared herself before making her daughter scoot over so that she could sit beside her. She chose her words carefully before saying, "No, honey. Those knights were the bad people because they started the fight. Did you and your father want to harm them?"

Emma immediately shook her head. "Of course not."

"See," Snow smiled, running a hand over her hair. "You were just protecting yourself and your father. Because that's what we do, we fight for our family, Emma." She placed a gentle kiss on her temple before adding, "And I'm so sorry that you had to go through that."

"It's okay," Emma said with a wan smile. "It's bound to happen sometime."

Snow pursed her lips together, not wanting to talk about this particular topic, but Emma already brought it up. "There's still no way your father and I are letting you go into battle. It's too dangerous."

"But, Mom," Emma whined as Snow stood up to brush her hair. "Why? I still have a few more years to train. I can do better!"

Snow said nothing and ran her fingers through her hair before brushing it. Emma sighed when she noticed that her mother was not going to answer her anymore. She'd always wanted to become a knight. _Her Royal Highness, Princess Emma, the warrior princess of the Seventh Kingdom,_ she even had her title already planned out.

But her parents were protective. After what happened that day, Emma could now see why. She was the product of true love and was destined to do greater things. She was first in line for the throne. Of course, Prince Charming and Snow White wanted to protect her as long as they could, to shelter her from the dangers of the world. But, as the headstrong princess she was, Emma was certain she would do her best to show them that she's more than capable of protecting herself and those around her.

Her eyelids were getting heavier as her hair became drier. Snow saw it through the mirror and smiled, "All right, let's get you to bed, young lady."

"I'm not tired," Emma mumbled to which her mother hummed, knowing better. Snow guided her to the bed. "I need to see Daddy."

Snow let her slide under the covers before bringing the duvet up to her chin. "You will. Tomorrow morning, you will."

Emma still wanted to argue with her mother. But the second her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.

* * *

Doc was still bandaging the damage when Snow entered the room quietly. The chambermaids were there to assist him with basins and towels on hand. She noted with despair how red the towels and the water looked and how pale her husband was.

"Is he going to be all right?" her question seemed to startle everyone in the room. They didn't notice her come in. The chambermaids looked uncertainly at one another, making her fear the worst, but then Doc looked over with a gentle smile.

"He will be just fine, Snow. He just needs this to keep the blood from flowing." He gently patted the finished bandaged around her husband's torso. "A little sleep, and he will be back to normal."

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Doc." When the dwarf silently gathered his things and the queen fell silent as she looked at her husband, the chambermaids took it as a sign to leave. Once everyone was out, she found herself alone with her sleeping Charming.

Snow sat down beside him, careful not to accidentally touch him where it would hurt, and whispered, "Charming." She ran a hand through his soft hair with a watery smile. "Charming, please be okay."

No response came from him, but she took comfort at the subtle rise and fall of his chest.

"I love you," she said as she lay down beside him, continuing to run her fingers through his fine hair. "Emma's okay, but she's worried. We're all worried." His pale complexion looked terrifying since it was paler than her skin. "Come back to me, okay?"

After a few moments, she tucked herself into his side after giving him a kiss on the cheek. All the excitement of the evening caught up with her, and she found herself slowly succumbing to sleep.

* * *

Charming felt sore all over. It was like he got run over by a horse and its carriage, but he was quite sure he hasn't experience that. Yet. He opened his eyes and wanted to rub them, but his dominant hand was being held down by something.

He looked over and what he saw warmed his heart. On his right was his beautiful wife curled up beside him with both her hands wrapped around his arm. Her chin was above his shoulder so her breathing tickled his neck, making him squirm to the left. He immediately regretted it after a sudden stab of pain from his left side reminded him of what happened earlier.

"Charming?" Snow mumbled sleepily, her eyelids fluttering open adorably.

He gave her a pained smile. "Hey, beautiful."

Snow was suddenly wide-awake, sitting up to check on him. "Charming," she said, and her voice was near awe at the sight of him awake. "Are you feeling better? Do you need anything? I could get one of the maids to get you some water if you'd like –."

"Snow, I'm fine," Charming chuckled, placing a hand on her cheek. "I'm fine." He slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position, tired of lying down on his back, and Snow placed the pillow behind him properly to make him comfortable. He exhaled the pain before saying, "That's better."

Snow's eyes suddenly were filled with tears. He sighed, "Come here." He wrapped his arm around her waist as she snaked hers around his neck. He breathed in her comforting scent, the scent that makes him feel like he's finally home. "You don't have to worry about me."

"You were so pale," she sniffled. "Emma had bloodstains, and I –."

"Emma," Charming suddenly realized and tensed, pulling back from the embrace. "Emma, is she hurt? Where is she?"

"Emma's okay. I gave her a bath and tucked her into bed. She's going to be okay," she smiled wanly. Charming looked at her with unconvinced eyes. She bit her lower lip at his scrutiny and sighed, knowing she wouldn't get away with it. "She's a little traumatized with the whole killing thing."

Charming's heart felt burdened at her words. "I have to see her."

Snow shook her head, stopping him from getting up and hurting himself. "You have to rest. You'll see her in the morning, Charming. She's sleeping. You don't want to disturb her, do you?"

"I'm the reason she was there in the first place," he argued, and she knew that was the truth. She didn't even know that Emma was going out riding with him when he left. "I should've made her leave. She shouldn't have been there."

"It doesn't matter," Snow said comfortingly. "All that matters is that you two are home. Safe."

Charming still looked troubled, with that little crease in the middle of his eyebrows prominent. Snow leaned over and kissed it before going down and kissing his lips. She pulled back to say, "Emma's going to be okay. She's a strong girl, just like her father." She had a proud smile on her face as she said those words.

Her husband smiled at her for that. "And she's badass with the bow and arrow, just like her mother."

Snow smiled a little, resting her hand and her chin on his chest. Her smile disappeared when she said, "I could've lost you today."

Charming smiled gently, pushing away some strands of hair away from her face with his fingers. "You could've, but you didn't. I told you, I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."

Snow looked at him with love and adoration in her eyes, something that he wouldn't get tired of seeing everyday. "I love you."

"I love you, too. More than anything."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I remember Snow saying that last line to Charming back in Season 3 when they were about to cast the second curse. I loved that I was able to use it, this time Charming saying it to her. :) Tell me what you guys think! Thanks for reading!


	5. Emma surprised Snow on her birthday

"Shh."

The two barefoot children tiptoed quietly in the direction of the kitchen that early morning. The sun hasn't risen yet, but they were too excited to sleep. Neal was dragging one of his teddy bears across the stone floor, his thumb in his mouth, when it accidentally bumped into one of the knight armors that lined up the long hallway, making his big sister react almost immediately.

"If you want to surprise Mommy, you have to keep it down!" the fourteen-year-old princess admonished her brother in hushed tones. She wanted to make sure that she and her brother were in in together in surprising Snow White on her birthday, but it was starting to irritate her that he couldn't walk without creating a ruckus.

Neal huffed in annoyance and faux-whispered, "But we're so slow!"

Emma rolled her eyes but bit her tongue. Not long after, they found themselves in the kitchen. The staff was still asleep, so they had the whole place to themselves. Emma started to gather the ingredients needed as Neal situated himself on the kitchen counter. "I want chocolate for Mommy!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"With?" she teased, as she got out the baking tools, excited that she got to do this on her own. Most of her time in the kitchen was supervised, so she was happy to be baking on her own with a little companion in tow. Neal was more or less a pain in the ass, but he was her adorable pain in the ass.

"Cinnamon!" he shrieked with his chubby legs swinging. She winced slightly, hoping that he didn't wake anyone up. "Mommy's going to love it!"

"Of course, she will," his sister replied as she measured everything carefully, keeping an eye on Neal to make sure he didn't spill anything accidentally. "And she'll be more surprised if you keep quiet."

"Can I help?" he asked, watching his sister pour everything into a bowl. "I want to mix!"

"Okay, you can pour in the milk as well." Emma instructed, watching him carefully. She didn't want to clean up more than she should. "There you go," she said as Neal finished pouring. He gave her a toothy smile before he grabbed the wooden spoon and started mixing.

They were quiet as they worked. Somehow, they've always functioned as a team despite their huge age difference. Neal was smart for his age, and Emma was the perfect big sister. Instead of doing everything on her own, she always let Neal do the things that he can under her watchful eye.

"And now, we wait," Emma told him after she slid the container into the brick oven. She smiled at how cute Neal looked while licking the wooden spoon that still had batter on it. "It is yummy?" she asked as she leaned in to taste some.

Neal pulled the spoon away from her reach and frowned, "Mine."

Emma huffed, planting her feet back down on the ground at the rejection. "It's not bad to share, Neal."

The princess smiled slyly as she got an idea. She wiggled her fingers in the air, making Neal's eyes widen in alarm at the sight. "I'm going to get you!" she taunted. Neal shrieked happily, scooting towards the end of the counter to jump down. Emma chased him around the kitchen when suddenly they bumped the table, causing the vase on top to smash into pieces.

"Uh-oh," Neal said before placing his thumb into his mouth. It was a habit that her parents were trying to get rid of but were failing. For her, it looked adorable. Suddenly, Bella, one of the kitchen staff, had appeared into the room and looked like she had just rolled out of bed. She looked at them in alarm as she looked at the damage in front of her.

"Your majesties," she greeted them softly with a bow. "Well, what have we here?"

"We're sorry," Emma said apologetically, biting her lower lip. "Don't wake Daddy and Mommy up. We'll clean it up." She kneeled down and started to pick up the broken pieces, being careful not to injure herself in the process. Bella had already kneeled down beside her and helped her with it. The maid winked at her and gestured towards the oven.

"You might want to check on whatever you were doing before I came. You don't want it burnt."

Emma gasped in realization before running over to the oven. However, before she reached her destination, she had stepped on one of the glass shards, making her howl in pain. "Emma?" Neal asked fearfully. The princess sat down on one of the chairs and gasped when she saw the shard buried deeply.

"Emma!" Neal repeated, this time in panic. There was smoke coming out of the oven, and Bella looked more alarmed than ever. "The cake is burning!"

"What in the world is going on?" Charming's voice boomed from the entrance, making everything go still except for the smoke coming out of the oven. Snow stood beside him with her arms crossed over her chest, her face unreadable. The king immediately went to get the fire out.

Bella finished cleaning the broken vase before bowing low. "I'm sorry, your majesties. It was my fault."

"What?" Emma looked at her incredulously, surprising Bella. "Mom, Dad, she had nothing to do with this. I'm the one to blame."

Snow saw her foot bleeding and asked furiously, "Emma Ruth, what happened to your foot?"

With all the commotion going on, Neal started to cry. Charming sighed after he had extinguished the fire before turning to the anxious maid by the staff door. "Bella, do you mind leaving us for a moment?" She looked relieved and bowed before hastily exiting the kitchen. He gathered his distressed little boy in his arms and shushed him. "It's okay, kiddo. It's okay."

Neal sniffed, "We – we just wanted to surprise Mommy."

Snow stilled. She looked around and saw that they were baking before all the chaos began. Then she remembered what day it was, making Charming look up at her sadly. Her expression remained unreadable as he stepped forward in her direction. "Snow," he started softly.

"Give me Neal," she said immediately, holding her arms out. Neal immediately wrapped his arms around his mother's neck and buried his face on her shoulder. Snow beckoned Charming and said, "We'll stay here and clean up. Take Emma to the infirmary before that open cut gets infected."

Her no-nonsense tone made Charming frown even more. "Snow," he started again.

"Now, Charming," Snow snapped, walking towards the counter. Emma looked up at her father sadly. She still didn't know why her mother hated her birthday. Every year, she becomes distant on that particular day, then the next day she'll return to her loving, happy self. Emma was hoping that she and her brother would change that when they surprised her with the cake.

 _Well, look how well that turned out,_ the princess thought to herself bitterly.

"Come on, Neal. Let's get things cleaned up." Snow told her son, trying to keep her voice from wavering and sounded a bit lighter than she did when talking to her husband.

"Okay," Neal complied happily, still too young to notice the tension in the room.

Charming gathered Emma into his arms and started to walk to the other wing where the infirmary was located. Emma was quiet for a moment, ignoring the pain radiating from her foot, as she cuddled closer to her father, making him smile a little. "Is Mommy mad at me?" she asked quietly.

"No, she's not, kiddo," Charming answered gently, bouncing Emma a little to make sure she was comfortable in his arms. She leaned her head on his shoulder, suddenly feeling sleepy because of being up too early. "You know how she is on her birthday."

"Why is she always sad on this day?" she asked, looking up at him. "I'm happy when it's my birthday. Are you happy when it's your birthday, Dad?"

"As long as I get to spend it with my family, of course," he replied with a charming smile.

"See," she pointed out in exasperation. "Neal and I just want her to be happy."

"I do, too," Charming sighed, his heart aching at the desperation in his daughter's voice. "I'm sorry, baby girl."

After that, Emma was quiet the whole trip to the infirmary. Charming held her as Doc treated the wound, rubbing her back and letting her squeeze his hand when she was in pain. After Doc had finished, Emma was already dozing off. Charming stayed with her and ran his hand through her hair repeatedly. He sighed when the sun's first rays shone through the open door of the balcony. He knew that that day was going to be a long one.

* * *

"Are you feeling better, Emma?" Neal asked as he situated himself comfortably beside his big sister. After his nap, he went to the infirmary with his hair still sticking up in odd places and in his little robe tied over his pajamas. She was writing something when he peeked into the room.

"Yeah," Emma smiled, glancing over at how adorable he looked as he yawned. "Thanks, Neal."

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking over at the parchment in her hand. He still couldn't understand the words, so he looked up at her expectantly, wanting to know what she was writing. "Emma, what are you doing?" he repeated when she didn't say anything.

She ignored his question and asked one herself, "How is Mom doing?"

"She's still sad," Neal answered solemnly, looking at his worn out teddy bear. It was his favorite because it used to be Emma's favorite. "I asked her if she wanted to go on a picnic today because it was her birthday, and during my birthday, we went on a picnic together. Remember?"

She grinned as she watched him say that all in one breath. "I remember."

"So," he continued. "I asked her that, but she didn't tell me anything. She made me go back to bed after we cleaned up the kitchen." He paused for a moment before adding softly, "I hate seeing Mommy sad."

"Me, too," Emma agreed as she plopped back down on the pillows. "I'm writing her a letter for her birthday."

"What's it going to say?" Neal asked excitedly, looking down at her with his face too close to hers.

"It's a surprise," she grinned. "I'll read it in front of you, Mommy, and Daddy later after dinner."

* * *

After their dinner, the family always went to the private sitting room in the family wing. Sometimes they will quietly listen to Snow play the piano with Neal sitting beside her and watching her fingers glide through the keys or laugh at Charming's humorous stories from his time back in his family farm. Other times, they just find themselves in a trance as they listen to Emma read aloud from a book. Snow and Charming made sure that they always had time for their children despite their busy schedules.

They made sure that their children felt loved.

Whenever it was Snow's birthday, the father-children trio would sit quietly on the couch, afraid that they might provoke anything that would upset Snow even more. Emma was determined to change that awkward tradition that night and couldn't keep still at the dinner table, causing Snow to snap at her on more than one occasion. She was nervous, but she had to do it. That night, she will make sure that her mother felt loved.

"Mommy?" she said, making three heads snap up at her. Charming's eyes widened in alarm, Neal was looking at her excitedly, and Snow's face was unreadable but she forced a small smile for her daughter. "Yes, baby?" she had asked.

Emma bit her lower lip as she unfolded the parchment paper nervously. "I – um," she stammered before gulping. "I made you a letter. For your birthday."

Her mother tensed, but she ignored it and continued to talk. "What happened this morning in the kitchen, I'm really sorry about the mess and waking you and Dad up so early. But I'm not sorry for trying to make you happy, Mom. Everyone deserves to be happy on their birthday."

Snow's eyes watered as she nodded, beckoning her to go on. Emma held the letter with shaking hands and exhaled her nervousness. The silence of the room was choking her, but she was pushing through with this. She already had gone too far.

 _Dear Mommy,_

 _Happy birthday. To be honest, I don't know where to begin since I don't know what exactly happened before that made you hate your birthday so much. I don't know if you realize that the cake we were going to bake earlier this morning was supposed to have cinnamon in it because that was favorite. I don't know if this letter is going to change your mind about your birthday, but I had to try._

 _If there is one thing I do know, that would be that I love you. You have always been there for me. You would laugh with me when I'm happy, cry with me when I'm sad, and love me even though it's much easier to be angry with me. You're the queen of the land, and everyone loves you. Everyone looks up to you, including me, and I'm sure my daddy would die without you._

Emma paused for a moment to look up at Charming, who gave her a grin and a nod. Snow was quiet, but she had a few tears rolling down her cheeks and a loving smile on her lips. That encouraged Emma to go on.

 _Your kisses make everything better. Your hugs encourage me to go on despite my mistakes. Neal and I are so proud to have you as our mother. You're strong, selfless, and brave, and very good with the bow and arrow. I envy you most of the time because I can't do it as gracefully as you do. But I'm happy because I have you as my teacher._

"Mommy," she looked up at Snow who was hastily wiping tears off her cheeks. Snow laughed a bit self-consciously, making Emma smile because it was the first time she heard her laugh all day. Her mother nodded to her, encouraging her to go on.

 _You don't have to be sad anymore. Because whether it is your birthday or any other normal day, Daddy, Neal, and I will always be here for you and love you. I love you, Mom. Happy birthday._

Emma folded the letter as she bit her lower lip anxiously. Charming and Neal applauded, the former had tears in his eyes while the latter just joined in the clapping. Snow stood up and hugged her daughter tightly with her heart filled with love. "I love you so much, sweetheart," she whispered before kissing the top of her head.

The princess felt tears in her eyes as she replied, "I love you, too, Mommy."

Snow cupped her cheeks when she pulled back. Snow's smile was so genuine and happy that Emma felt so proud of herself that day. Ever since, she made sure that everyone she knew felt loved, especially on his or her birthday. She would bake a cake and write a letter. Neal was always there to help his big sister through the years, knowing how special it had been when it first happened with their mother. It became a sort of tradition in the castle.

That was why, years later, there was a certain blue-eyes man who felt like the luckiest man in the world when he celebrated his birthday with Emma.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Reviews make me happy! :)


	6. Neal lost Anne in the forest

Prince Neal, the future heir of the Seventh Kingdom, was the exact replica of his father, King James. Down to the blonde hair, blue eyes, and the chiseled chin with the exception of the scar of course, he looked every inch like the kingdom's beloved ruler. Sure enough, it held a lot of expectation from the people, but the young prince accepted the challenge.

He was admired by his father's men for being an excellent sword fighter at such a young age. After all, the son of a former bandit and a dragon-slaying prince should be able to wield a sword for himself. Not to mention the fact that he inherited the family trait of having danger follow him everywhere he went. His skills were honed to perfection.

However, the one thing he apparently couldn't do was to make his little sister listen to him. That was why he found himself spurring his horse into a faster gallop through the forest, racing to beat the sunset. There was no way he would leave Annie in the middle of the dangerous forest with villains sprouting up and threatening their family's very existence. He certainly didn't have a death wish. He wasn't going to have to explain to his father than his little sister got away under his watch. The thought of his father planning an execution for him was certainly not farfetched.

Annie was his father's baby girl, something that annoyed Emma since she was being replaced, which in turn was something that Neal found incredibly amusing. Princess Anne was the third child of the royal couple and was going to be the death of her brother one of these days. _Damn it, Annie._

"Hey, loser."

The prince pulled the reigns in surprise. His horse neighed in protest as it stood on its hind legs at the sudden stop. He steadied his horse before replying, "What the hell, Emma?" Standing in front of him was none other than his older sibling – the one who was replaced by Annie, he thought quietly in amusement. She was still wearing her full armor without the headpiece and had her long blonde hair down.

"Annie's at Granny's place," Emma offered, making Neal sigh in relief. At least he knew that she was safe for the time being. "Yeah, I thought I'd be nice and give you a head's up before you start planning your last words." She threw over a cheeky grin.

"Oh. Haha," Neal rolled his eyes as he got down from his horse. "When did you get back, anyway? I thought you still had a month."

"I did," the princess confirmed with a small smirk. "But being a princess does have its privileges. It doesn't look like the ogres are striking back anytime soon, so they let me off the hook and sent me home. I'm not complaining though. The thought of sleeping on my bed again was inviting on its own."

"Or you were a pain to have around so they'd rather have you out of the way." Neal ducked from the punch Emma sent his way.

His older sister sniffed haughtily before saying. "Better go get Annie before sundown, kid. See you at dinner." She started to walk away much to his alarm.

"Wait! You're not going to help me haul the brat home?" Neal looked at Emma with wide eyes. "But she listens to you!"

"Well, you should've thought of that before you scorned my battle skills, brother," Emma laughed as she continued her walk back to the castle. "Have fun, kid."

Neal sighed before mounting his horse. Sometimes, he had wondered what it would be like if he had an older brother instead of his unhelpful sister. Then again, Emma's already boyish enough as she was, so a brother probably won't change a thing. He steered his loyal steed in the direction of Granny's cabin and prayed to any deity listening to him that his other sister hadn't scrambled off again.

* * *

"Neal! How nice to see you, my boy," Granny greeted warmly when he entered the homey cabin. Aunty Red was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief when he saw Annie playing on the rocking chair as he arrived. "Come, have you had your supper?" The thought of Granny's cooking made his mouth water.

"I would, Granny," he answered sadly. "But I have to get that home before my father requests my head on a plate." He pointed towards Annie who innocently gave him a big smile. Neal loved her, but sometimes she could be quite a pain.

"Found her picking stones by the stream," Granny smiled, stroking the princess's black hair. Annie beamed up at her. "Thought I'd bring her home before she endangers herself out there all alone."

Neal looked sheepish as he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, she wasn't alone actually. I was supposed to look after her, but she always manages to slip away." The little princess poked her tongue out at him before giggling, happy with her own antics. "Come on. Emma's home. Don't you want to see her?"

Annie's blue eyes sparkled in delight. "Emmy's home?" she screeched as she jumped up from the chair. "Let's go, Neal! Bye, Granny!" She took his hand and pulled him in the direction of the door; adamant to see the sister she had been missing for quite some time.

Neal chuckled as he turned to Granny. "Thanks for watching her, Granny. I'll be back soon for the food."

Granny laughed. "Anytime. Take care, you two."

* * *

After managing to bring the rambunctious princess home, Neal couldn't help but smile as he watched Annie throw her arms around her favorite big sister and Emma spinning her around. He sighed to himself tiredly. _Got another day to live._

A hard slap on his back made him groan and realize that his father was standing beside him, also smiling at the sight of his two daughters talking animatedly with one another. "Annie gave you a hard time again?" Charming jeered, squeezing his shoulder. "She's seven."

"She has feet," Neal pointed out, making his father guffaw. "If you had Lancelot watch her, it'll certainly make our lives easier, Dad." He folded his arms over his chest. "She wouldn't listen to me even if I tried to be stern with her. Only you and Mom can do that."

Charming grinned. "Annie loves you, Neal. That's why she does these things. She wants to get your attention. Plus, you know how she is about people finding her."

"Yeah, because you and Mom do nothing but fill her head about always finding her," he deadpanned. "She's getting more clever with her hiding places, I'll give you that."

"She'll come around." Charming said, watching his youngest laugh at something Emma said. "You know, finding your mother back when she was a bandit wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. Telling her that I will always find her is both a promise and a warning."

Neal grinned before nudging his father, who snapped out his thoughts. "Getting all nostalgic and romantic, huh, Dad?"

"All gentlemen have a romantic side, son," Charming winked at him. "Only needs the right woman for you to realize you had it in you all along."

"Ugh," Neal complained. His father just smiled. "I'd rather fight dragons and chase monsters than fall in love. Look what it did to Emma. After she met Killian, she'd gone all soft."

"It has its pros and cons," the king replied. He was wary about the developing relationship between his daughter and the son of the navy's captain. He knew that it was serious. So serious that he dreads the day that Emma's coming home with a ring on her finger. He was happy that his daughter found her true love, but it didn't change the fact that he wasn't ready, and doubted that he will ever be ready, to give his baby girl away.

"But she's happy," Neal remarked thoughtfully. "So, I guess that's okay."

"So, you approve of Killian now," Charming teased, making his son roll his eyes at him.

"I'm not saying that he's not an arrogant son of a –," the prince stopped himself, remembering that he was still talking to his father. "But then again, he has his moments." He remembered during Killian's last visit in the palace that the older man had given him a dagger for his birthday. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Charming smiled proudly at his son. Sometimes he wondered what he had done to deserve such a prize. He shook his head and said, "Come 'ere, you." He got him into a headlock and startled to ruffle his hair with his knuckles, laughing all the way.

"Ow, Dad! Let go!"

* * *

One of the things Prince Neal loved the most but will never reveal to anyone was the fact that his mother checked up on him every night, as he got ready for bed. He was a man, and men do not admit that they secretly liked being tucked in by their mothers. And to be quite frank, who _doesn't_ like getting tucked in? It's amazing. He glanced over at the closed door and noted that she was late that night. Then he realized that he was being such a baby and turned to the side to shut his eyes and sleep.

Snow was probably still with Emma. He didn't mind, of course. Everyone missed Emma when she was away. Another thing he has only admitted to himself. They always had each other's back since they were younger. Annie was certainly more manageable back when Emma helped him. Ever since she got into the army, he does thing by himself more often.

The door creaked open, and he knew that it was his mother based on the padded footsteps. "Hi, honey. Are you still awake?" she whispered, placing a cool hand on his forehead. He turned to lie on his back and gave his mother a boyish grin.

"Hey, Mom."

"How was your day?" Snow smiled as she pulled his covers up to his chin. Her warm smile never failed to make Neal feel all mushy inside, yet another thing that he would ever tell another soul.

"Long," he answered seriously, making his mother chuckle. "Annie's a handful."

"Oh, I know, honey," Snow nodded with a teasing pout. She gave him a kiss on the forehead before saying, "Goodnight, Neal. I love you."

She was getting ready to leave when Neal called out, "Mom?" She looked back at him with a gentle smile. He gulped before looking down at his hands. "Do you think I'll be a good king someday?"

Emma had already declared her declination of the throne, saying that she'd rather fight for her kingdom than rule it. She also said something about feeling more alive in the battlefield. Yada, yada. All Neal knew was that he was going to be king and has to live up to a lot of expectations after his parents' stellar reign.

Snow gave him an understanding smile, sitting back down on his bed, as she brushed away some hair from his forehead. "Of course, you will," she answered with conviction. She had always believed in him no matter what he did. "Why would you even think otherwise?"

"What if no one listens to me?" he asked quietly. Neal looked down as he played with the edge of the duvet. "I can't even make Annie listen to me, let alone an entire kingdom. What if I can't rule?"

Snow sighed softly, stroking his cheek lovingly. "Neal, Annie listens to you. You just see her not listening more since it annoys you the most, but she does. She loves you. Plus, I don't know if you know this, but you're exactly like your father."

"Yeah, the whole genetics thing," he said, gesturing towards his face. "I see it everyday when I look at myself in the mirror, Mom."

His mother laughed. "Not just that. You and your father always tend to look at your faults rather than your strengths. Believe me when I say this, Neal. You take after your father in every single way, and it's a good thing. You have a way with words. You love people. You fight for what's right. If that's not a good ruler, I don't know what is."

Neal smiled. He knew deep down that he was no Prince Charming, but it certainly helped that his father was exactly that. He could learn a trick or two. Snow kissed his forehead when she noticed that he was convinced before whispering, "Goodnight, my prince. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Tell me what you think! :)


	7. Regina apologized

Two-year-old Annie was the most active baby Snow ever had to take care of. She was constantly running around her nursery, knocking down dollhouses, and talking animatedly – actually babbling would be more accurate – with her stuffed animals. Neal just loved entertaining her since everything he did was hilarious to the little girl. Emma, of course, insisted that she be the one to teach her how to fight. Charming always spared a few hours a day to play with her and loved the tickle fights. Snow, on other hand, loved her the most when she was dozing off. Of course, that had to be a joke.

But the mother of three did love her quiet moments.

"Mama," Annie murmured sleepily while her mother rocked her gently in her arms. Snow hummed a soft lullaby for her tired youngster, got up from the rocking chair, and headed to the crib. Brushing a few strands of her dark hair away from her flawless face, Snow whispered, "Goodnight, baby girl. Mommy loves you." She gently placed her daughter down, pulled her blanket up to her chin, before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"That's sweet." The familiar voice behind her sent shivers down her spine. She can't be here. Not right now, not in Annie's nursery. Snow felt her heart thudding as she turned to face her stepmother, who looked like she was heading to a ball in her outfit.

"Regina," she said, keeping her voice from wavering. "I wouldn't say that I'm glad to see you here."

"Oh, I'd be surprised if you were," the Evil Queen grinned, walking around the room with her eyes on the bassinet. Snow's hands stayed firmly on the crib, gauging her next move. One suspicious move, and Annie was getting out of there immediately. "What a beautiful little girl. I must say she looks more like you than Emma did before."

The mother was getting more anxious as the small talk continued. She cleared her throat and asked, getting directly to the point of the matter. "What are you doing here, Regina?"

Regina sat on the rocking chair Snow occupied earlier and looked extremely out of place with all of the toys littered around her. "I actually wanted to talk to you. This is the only time I caught you alone. I'm not sure your guards understand the word 'privacy', or are you that paranoid with security?"

Snow felt like cold water had been dumped over her. She blinked as she stumbled over her words, "T – the only time? You mean – you've been following me?" she whispered fearfully.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself too much, Snow White," Regina answered haughtily. She paused for a moment, smoothing her skirt from invisible creases. "However, I must admit I've been waiting for the chance to speak with you in private. This seemed like the perfect time to do so."

Snow thought about getting Anne and bolting out the door at that moment, and Regina seemed to have read her thoughts when she said, "I know you don't trust me. And quite frankly, you shouldn't, but I actually mean no harm this time."

The queen looked at her stepmother curiously, not sure whether to trust her words. She had known this woman since she was a little girl and had lived with her for quite some time. However, after all the evil deeds she had done in the past, Snow doubted that she knew her well enough. But at that moment, Regina may have looked like the manipulative witch she was, but her eyes showed resignation. She looked defeated.

Snow weighed her options before sighing. "All right. Let's talk. But one hand on my daughter, and I will kill you."

"Okay."

The younger of the two sat down on the floor with the bassinet behind her. She looked up at Regina before asking, "So, what do you want to talk about?" That was as awkward as it's going to get.

Regina seemed to be lost for words. She kept twiddling with her thumbs and biting her lower lip. Snow just watched her in curiosity, fascinated with her actions. She actually looked nervous. For the first time in a long time, Snow saw the woman who saved her life all those years ago. If she were to be quite honest, she felt more frightened at that fact because what was she doing here?

"Sorry would probably be an understatement at this point."

Her opening statement made Snow's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. She was apologizing? Regina was apologizing to her? "But," Regina paused, glancing up at her for a moment before sighing. "But I needed, actually I wanted to do this because I…"

She exhaled and closed her eyes, contemplating what to say next. Snow hadn't the slightest clue as to what was going on, but she was anxious to hear what the Evil Queen had to say. She glanced at the clock and realized how late it was, making her even more curious as to what she was going to say.

"I've done a lot of things that would be held against me for the rest of my life. To be honest, I've accepted that fact." Regina paused again, gathering her thoughts. "But I guess, if I were going to apologize to anyone I've wronged in the past, that someone should be you."

Snow didn't even try to conceal the surprise on her face. "Oh."

"Everything I've done in the past had the intention of making you suffer. That's what has driven me for a long time, to destroy your happiness. Because the one thing that I've been certain of all these years was that you ruined my life." She shrugged. "You know, when you sold me out to my mother about Daniel."

"I was ten."

"I'm quite familiar with the story, thank you," Regina snapped before sighing again. "Anyway. I came here to apologize, believe it or not. I wasn't like this before, and you know that. In fact, you're the only one left who knew me before all this. You're the only one who is stubborn enough to believe that I'm still capable of change. The only one who stood by not killing me for all the things I've done. I don't know why you believe in me so much, but I want to…" She paused as if it pained for her to say it. "I want to thank you for not giving up on me."

Snow's eyes widened. Regina looked like she was forced to swallow a mouthful of sand when she said those words. "I've come to the realization that evil isn't born. It's made. You of all people should know that." She looked at Snow for confirmation to which the latter nodded with tears in her eyes.

Regina pursed her lips together, keeping her emotions in check. "I've realized that this has got to stop at some point. You've won, Snow White." She looked over at the sleeping princess. "You've won for so many years, but I was too proud to admit it to myself."

"Regina," Snow whispered, but she held up her hand in protest.

"Let me finish," she insisted before putting her hand down. "I don't know how to explain myself, how to apologize, or how to show you that I'm tired of fighting. Because to be honest, no one would believe me even if I tried." She looked at Snow for a moment before saying, "Maybe that's the reason why I came to you tonight. Because deep down, I knew that you're the only one who will understand."

A tear trickled down Snow's cheek making her laugh slightly and wipe it away. "I'm sorry."

Regina cleared her throat. "It's time for me to step down. I'll get out of your hair, and you can go on with your life without having to worry about the next time I'll be striking back. Because our fight's done, and you've won."

Snow felt herself breathe for the first time that night. Regina gulped as she looked down at her hands, "I sincerely want to apologize, Snow, for all the years of torment, pain, and suffering. For making you and everyone miserable just because I was miserable. I want to apologize for taking your father from you, your crown, your castle, everything. I am so sorry."

The queen gave her a watery smile and nodded. Regina felt tears welling in her eyes, "I've become the person I promised myself I never would become: my mother. Power has the ability to control a person, Snow. So I sincerely hope you won't let it get to your head."

"I won't," Snow whispered.

"Good."

There were no more words to say. Regina stood up, and Snow followed right after. "So, this is goodbye, Snow White," Regina gave her a tight smile. "I doubt you'll say you'll miss me."

Snow laughed a bit before biting her lip. "Thank you, Regina," she finally said, looking into her stepmother's eyes.

Regina looked pleasantly surprised. "For what?"

"For closure. That," she gestured towards their earlier conversation. "What you did just now, only brave people are able to do it."

The Evil Queen gave her a smile before offering her hand, "The best of luck to you, Snow White."

Snow felt tears burn in her eyes again before wrapping her arms around Regina's shoulders. She felt the older woman tense in her arms but didn't care. If this was goodbye, a hug was in order. Regina gave her two pats on the back.

Snow was smiling when she pulled back. "Good luck, Regina."

* * *

 _THE EVIL QUEEN IS DEAD._

The words screamed at her face as her grip tightened on the sides of the letter. The royal messenger gave it to them warily, saying that an old man insisted that it was important that it reaches the king and queen. It was a folded parchment that contained scrawny handwriting, saying that Regina has succumbed to the darkness that swallowed her heart.

"T-that's why," she breathed out, haunted. "That's why she was here."

"Snow," Charming soothed her as he gently pried her fingers off the page.

Tears were trickling down her cheeks as she turned to him. Her pained expression made Charming kiss her forehead and pull her into an embrace. "Snow, I'm so sorry."

Snow started to sob as she wrapped her arms around her husband. The sound of rejoicing came from the balcony. The entire kingdom was celebrating the end of evil while their queen mourned her loss. The loss of a could-have-been hero, the loss of a could-have-been friend, the loss of belief in true love because of tragedy. Regina deserved better than what the world offered to her.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Snow cried. "She should've gotten her happy ending, Charming. She changed. She wanted to make things right."

"Snow," he coaxed as he rubbed her back.

Charming pulled back and cupped her face to make her face him. "She wanted to set things right with you before she passed." Snow's face crumped in pain. "She wanted to make sure at least one person has forgiven her."

Snow buried her face in his chest, sighing, "I did not even tell her that I've forgiven her."

"She knew," Charming replied, stroking her hair. "I'm sure she knew."

 _Maybe in another life,_ she thought to herself. _Maybe in another life, Regina got to live her happy ending._ Because she knew everyone deserved a second chance, a chance to redeem themselves and to love and be loved in return.

She had that. With Charming and her children, she's given that chance and realized how foolish of her to take the things she had for granted. She loved and was loved in return. Most people would give anything for that knowledge. It pained her knowing that she had deprived Regina of that when she told Cora about Daniel. She had no one for most of her life.

That was why every year on Regina's death anniversary, Snow would place a rose on her grave. Hoping that somewhere somehow, she was watching and knew that someone was thinking of her.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** *cowers from all the Evil Regals*


	8. Anne met Rumpelstiltskin

Anne felt frustrated.

Governess Fallon had sent her to the library to search for books containing her family's history. As much as it excited her (not), she'd rather really do something else that involved the outdoors and running. The library was stuffy and scared the little girl with its tall bookshelves and eerie silence. The only person in the room was the librarian, and most of the time he (or she, Anne doesn't really see the librarian) was said to be somewhere in the vast room, his nose buried in a book.

Though the library gave her the willies, the governess scared her more. The ten-year-old didn't have much of a choice as she marched into the room with a determined look on her face. Her footsteps were loud against the linoleum floor as she went through bookshelf after bookshelf. Every time she turned a corner, she mentally prepared herself to be frightened by the librarian's presence, but that has yet to happen. It was taking her forever to find a single book. If her Aunty Belle were there, she would have found all of them by then.

She found one similar to the one on the list and took it out, but the book was heavier than she expected. It crashed onto the floor, sending dust towards the princess's face. She coughed and rubbed her eyes before sighing. Yes, Aunty Belle would definitely be more graceful than she would ever be.

Looking at the cover of the fallen book, she frowned when she saw that it was the wrong one. She lifted it up and placed it back where it belonged before looking around again. Then something caught her eye.

Most people would have overlooked it since it sat on the corner of the lowest shelf, but the sparkling blue cover certainly made an impression on the princess. Anne pulled it out quickly and examined it. Flipping through the pages, she was fascinated with the large drawings and the weird writing on them. _What language is this?_ She thought to herself as she stayed on a page.

A high-pitched giggle broke her out of her reverie, making her gasp and drop the book. There was a silhouette standing in front of the huge window. It had tousled hair that ended below his ears, sparkling skin, and long fingernails. He wore something akin to a jester except that it was all black and had a red cloak over his shoulders. Her heart thudded against her chest as he started to move towards her. She wanted to run, but her feet were glued to the floor.

Literally.

"Quite a fascinating book you got there, dearie."

The princess whimpered in fear when she saw his face clearly. Scaly green skin, the biggest eyes, and yellow mangy teeth, he looked like one of the dark creatures in fairytale books she'd read. She certainly had no interest in meeting one, let alone meet one all alone. Maybe she would've considered encountering one but certainly with her protective brother's presence involved.

"Aw," he cooed. "I don't mean any harm, little girl. I was just wondering why you got that book you have there." He gestured towards the book on the floor with a slight smile and a knowing glint in his eyes.

"A – are you the librarian?" Anne asked fearfully, making him grin widely. "I – I can put it back if you'd like. I didn't mean to cause any trouble." She quickly picked it up from the floor, but her feet remained in their place.

"Nonsense!" he exclaimed, making her flinch. "Why did you get that book, dearie?"

Anne looked down at the book before answering him. "It had a pretty cover. It sparkles."

Her answer must have been what he wanted to hear since his lips slowly turned up into a grin before letting out a small giggle of glee. The book disappeared from the princess's hands and was suddenly in his, making her jump. He flipped through the pages and examined the contents before looking back at the princess. "It only glows to people who have magic."

"Magic?" the princess echoed. "B – but I don't have magic."

"That's because you haven't tried it out yet," he told her before giggling again. Anne wished he would stop making that sound, it made her skin crawl and frightened her even more. Looking down at her hands, she remembered her parents talking to her about people with magic. Magic was dangerous if placed on the wrong hands, and she was certainly not ready to have such a huge responsibility on her shoulders.

"I can't," she told him. "Mommy and Daddy had always said that magic comes with a price. I can't risk…"

"That may be," he interrupted her, smiling. "But that is who you are, Annie. Embrace it."

The princess's eyes grew wide at the mention of her name. The Dark One placed the book back where it belonged before walking away. "Wait!" Annie called out, making him stop in his tracks. "I didn't get your name."

He turned around with a flourish and gave her a low bow. "Rumpelstiltskin." His introduction dragged the letter r, much to Anne's amusement. He looked up with a mischievous grin before straightening up. "We will meet again soon, your highness." With a snap of his fingers, he vanished.

* * *

"The governess said something interesting to me today." Snow started the conversation as they ate their dinner later that evening. The only people present were her father, her mother, her brother, and herself since Emma was still out on the battlefield. Anne cast her eyes downward, training them on her plate, as she pretended to be busy with her dinner. "Something about someone not doing their work and reading something else."

There was silence. Only the sound of utensils against the plates can be heard in the room. Her eyes glanced up, and she saw her mother looking at her with stern but expectant eyes. Her father and her brother were looking at them in curiosity as they chewed. She stalled for a moment before sighing, "History is boring, Mommy."

Neal snickered at that while Charming tried to hide his smile. Snow, however, remained unfazed before saying, "You should do what you're told, Annie. I don't want to hear something like this from the governess again. Do you understand me?"

Anne nodded solemnly before resuming in cutting her steak. The family was silent for a moment before Charming asked, "What were you reading, anyway, sweetheart?" His warm tone made the princess a bit less tense.

She stopped what she was doing for a moment as she contemplated whether or not to tell the truth about her encounter with Rumpelstiltskin. Her parents weren't exactly subtle when it comes to their fierce protectiveness over their youngest child, but she knew she would probably be scolded again if they find out the truth from another source. She shrugged to act nonchalant as she answered, "Magic."

Everything seemed to stop when the word flew out of her mouth. Neal's eyes were wide with fascination, while her parents were at a loss for words. When it seemed like nobody was going to say anything, she sighed in exasperation. "I told you, history is boring. It's not like I'm practicing magic now. It was the next best thing I saw in that aisle."

Her father spoke up. "Annie, to be honest, we'd rather not have you anywhere near magic. We can't risk putting you in danger like that."

"I'm kind of concerned, too, Annie," Neal added. He looked curious and, as he said, concerned, but there was something else in his eyes. She noticed that there was mirth in them, intriguing her. "I mean. Magic is a complicated thing. Who knows what might happen if you don't know what you're doing?"

"Oh, what do you know about it?" Anne challenged him. Neal was about to say something when their father interrupted.

"Annie! Don't talk to your brother that way," Charming scolded.

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sorry."

"I'm just saying," Neal continued, turning to his parents. "You had always told us that magic comes with a price. I don't want her to have to pay for it. I'm just worried this might end badly if it continues."

"I just read a book," Anne snapped. "It's not like I'm hiding my secret witchcraft room from you guys now." Neal's eyes widened slightly but immediately tried to keep his face passive. "Besides, I haven't even thought of magic until today. Rumpelstiltskin told me I had it in me."

"Rumpelstiltskin?" Snow echoed in fear, making Anne winced when she realized her slip. She wasn't supposed to tell them about her encounter with the Dark One. The magic part was already an issue as it is, add that man into the mix and her parents would really flip out. "You were alone with Rumpelstiltskin?" Charming's plate was now forgotten as he leaned forward in concern.

Their daughter shrugged again. "I thought he was the librarian."

Neal laughed at that but stopped himself when he saw his mother glare at him. "He told me that… you see, there was this book, and it sparkled. I took it out. When I was flipping through the pages, he suddenly appeared and told me that only people with magic can see it glow. After he'd gone, I tried to read it, but I really couldn't understand it. Please, Mom and Dad, relax. You're really overthinking this."

"Did Rumpelstiltskin do anything to you?" Charming asked in concern. He was clearly ticked off that the guards were not watching the princess at all times as he had ordered them to do. He can't risk his children being exposed like that.

"No," Annie answered him, shaking her head. "Although he did say that he would see me again soon." The couple exchanged worried looks at that to which Neal pursed his lips together. She quickly added, "Not that I want to. He gives me the creeps."

* * *

"Do you think Mommy and Daddy are mad at me?" Anne asked her brother later that evening as they sat in front of the piano in the sitting room. After dinner, they always retired to the sitting room as a family to talk about anything or do something together. But that time, her parents were near the door, speaking in hush but urgent tones away from them. It was clear that what she said in the dining room frightened them, but it was understandable given their history with magic.

"I doubt it," Neal smiled down at her. "They're just concerned about you. We all are."

Anne sulked. "It's not like I'm going to go to the dark side now. I'm one of the good guys. Our family has always been the hero of the story, why would I want to change that for the worse?"

"I told you," the prince answered as he played a few keys. "Magic is complex. Besides, you know that there is no such thing as pure good and pure evil. We're always in that gray area in between. It depends on what you choose to do that determines who you are."

"I don't want to be bad," she murmured as she swung her legs. "I want to be good like Mommy and Daddy, and you."

Neal grinned. "Then I'm glad."

The princess was quiet for a moment as she chewed her bottom lip. "Does that mean that I have to give up magic?"

He thought about it for a moment, as if wanting to tell her something but decided against it in the end. "Not exactly."

She looked up at her brother in curiosity. He shrugged as he said, "It's part of who you are. We'll love you regardless."

"What if I choose dark magic?" she asked, challenging him. "Would you hate me?" The thought of her brother broke her heart, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"I would be worried," he admitted, looking down at her with a small smile. "You're my little sister. But if that's what you want, I really don't have any say in the matter. You're as stubborn as Emma."

That wasn't the answer she was hoping to hear, making her sigh. "I give up. I'm going to be just Annie."

"Just Annie?" Neal grinned before nudging her with his shoulder. "My annoying little just Annie?"

"Yes," Anne nodded with a mischievous smile. "Just Annie who plans to annoy you for the rest of our lives. Let me tell you now, brother, we will be together in this life and the next and the next."

Neal exaggerated a sigh as he looked up at the ceiling, much to her amusement. "Lord, help me."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you for reading! :)


	9. Emma celebrated her birthday

**Author's Note:** Someone asked about Neal and Emma having magic as well since they are also products of true love. Well, you'll just have to wait and see if they do. :) Happy reading!

* * *

It was Emma's eighteenth birthday.

The sun was shining. The birds were chirping. The whole kingdom was excited, stopping everything to celebrate the coming of age of their beloved princess. Women were gossiping about the latest details, scourging up whatever information they can get from the royal staff on what she would be wearing on the grand occasion. The florist gave all of her wild flowers to help with the decorations. The baker made sure that the cake was delicious and perfect. Everyone was doing there best to deliver to the king and queen's wishes. Emma was excited for the occasion during the early preparations, which was very unusual for her given her hatred for anything girly.

But that morning, as she gazed upon her reflection in the mirror, she was anything but happy. She forced herself to smile but couldn't because of the weight on her shoulders. Her eyes were trained on the mirror blankly; looking at the beautiful gown she was wearing and the symbolic tiara Snow had given to her the night before. Her hair was down except for the braided part on the top that secured the tiara in place. Her gown was exquisite. The color matched her skin tone, deliberately making it look like it was part of her body. From the sweetheart neckline to the short train behind her, sequins were sown in diligently. Whenever she moved, the sheath gown twinkled like the stars.

"There you go," Freya smiled, finishing the last needed stitch at the bottom of the gown. "Everything looks perfect." The seamstress looked at the princess excitedly but frowned when she saw Emma looking at her reflection without a smile. She suddenly became worried. "Is everything all right, your highness?"

"Oh," Emma came out of her reverie with a shy laugh. "Yes, yes, of course. Thank you, Freya. You always deliver." She forced a weak smile to the seamstress.

"That's what I'm here for." Freya grinned proudly, placing her needle and thread back inside her pocket. The dress was one of the best creations she had done in a long time, and the way it fitted Emma did wonders. "I'll go get your father, Miss Emma."

The princess nodded before turning back to the mirror. She looked beautiful, no doubt about that. She also knew why she was so down at such a momentous occasion. It was because the one person she wanted to be there was currently out at sea, threading through dangerous waters with his father. He claimed that it was his father's last voyage before he retired, so he had to be there for him. But she wanted him home. She wanted him safe. Most of all, she wanted him to be her last dance. He said that he couldn't make it, but he did promise that he would make it up to her upon his return.

The door opened, and she watched from the reflection in the mirror her father walking into the room in his royal garb. Prince Charming looked like he doesn't age. His handsome face expressed pleasant surprise when he laid his eyes on his eldest daughter. Emma gave him a shy smile when she turned around to face him.

"What do you think, Daddy?" she asked. "Isn't it beautiful?" The princess looked down at the gown before glancing back up at her father with a shy smile.

Charming walked towards her slowly, keeping his emotions in check. He sighed jokingly, "I think I need to send all the eligible bachelors home if I want to keep you longer."

She laughed before wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt tears in her eyes as she thought of the proud look in her father's face. "Don't worry, Dad. I doubt I'll even notice them gawking at me."

The king chuckled as he pulled back from the embrace. He cupped her face with his hands and said, "He would've fainted if he were here." She giggled as he wiped away her tears. "You look so beautiful, Emma. I can't believe how fast you've grown."

Emma laughed, slightly embarrassed. "Dad, we haven't even gotten to your speech yet, and you're already making me cry."

Charming chuckled and kissed her forehead before clearing his throat. "Shall we?" he asked as he offered his arm to her.

She let out a huge exhale before linking their arms together. "All right. Let's do this."

* * *

"May I present the daughter of King James and Queen Snow White, her royal highness, Princess Emma!"

A huge uproar greeted the princess when she walked into the ballroom with her father. Everyone she knew was there, making her smile genuinely for the first time that evening. "May I present the daughter of King James and Queen Snow, her royal highness, Princess Emma!"

A huge uproar greeted the princess when she walked into the ballroom with her father. Everyone she knew was there, making her smile genuinely for the first time that evening. Granny, Aunty Red, Aunty Belle, Aunty Ariel, Uncle Eric, Aunty Ella, Uncle Thomas, even the seven dwarfs were dressed to the nines. She giggled when she saw how uncomfortable Grumpy looked. Snow kissed her cheek when she arrived at her mother's side. "You look so beautiful, sweetheart."

Her mother looked so happy that she felt her heart melt. "Thank you, Momma."

Prince Neal was holding two-year-old Annie's hand on the side, telling his little sister to wave at Emma. Annie looked excited as she waved at her. Emma blew her a kiss just as the applause died down. Snow cleared her throat as she announced, "Now, for the father-daughter dance."

Emma gave her dad a teasing look as they prepared themselves in the middle of the dance floor. Everyone seemed like they were holding their breath, but Charming and Emma had a bubble of their own. The princess was trying hard not to giggle as they started the waltz.

One month before the celebration, Snow was frustrated with the two of them laughing instead of practicing their dance. In the end, the mother gave up and told them she had better things to do and left them. Charming told his daughter, "Your mother is so traditional. That dance she was teaching is ancient stuff."

"Oh, yeah?" his daughter challenged. "Do you know how to dance, Dad?"

Prince Charming looked appalled. "Are you insinuating that I am not cultured, Emma?"

Emma shrugged, "I don't know. Mom's usually the one who knows everything."

"Yeah, well, when you're married, you know better than to tell your wife that you know more than she does," he grinned, making Emma laugh. "Come on, I'll teach you. It's something my mother taught me a while back. Never gets old."

So they did just that. Emma caught a glimpse of Snow's teary expression as her father twirled her. _One thing is for certain_ , Emma thought to herself. _Prince Charming is not just a pretty face._

They ended the dance with a long bow, and the whole audience erupted with applause. The sound was deafening, making Emma wonder just how many people her mother invited to her party. After their dance, the actual party started. The music was playing, drinks were being passed around, and the food looked and smelled terrific. Emma wanted to join her siblings who were raiding the food area specifically the chocolate one, but there were so many people who wanted to talk to her.

"That's such a beautiful dress!" one exclaimed.

"That tiara," one gushed. "I've seen that one on Snow before! Stunning!"

"You're so beautiful, your highness!"

She kept thanking them and walking. Guests keep sprouting up from all directions, complimenting her and wishing her a happy birthday. After quite a long while, she was finally free and marched towards the two children who were giggling from the sugar.

"I'm not quite sure Mommy's going to be happy to see you two right now," she said, her hands on her hips. Neal looked sheepish, knowing he was the one to be blamed later. Annie squealed and raised her chocolate covered hands to her big sister, "Emmy!"

"Oh, my dear," one of the maids whispered as she cleaned the little girl's hands with a small towel. She gave Emma a small smile, "Happy birthday, your highness."

"Thank you," she smiled at the humble maid. "Thank you for taking care of my sister."

"It's my honor, your highness," she bowed before standing out of the way. Emma got the little girl in her arms and kissed her cheek, "How's my Annie today?"

"Emmy look beautiful!" she grinned.

"Why, thank you. You look more beautiful," she gushed, looking down at the pale blue dress Anne had on.

"It's blue! My favorite!"

"Yes, indeed," Emma nodded.

"Your highness," one of the attendants approached her. "Your father wants to talk to you."

"Uh-oh, that never ends well," Neal teased before he tossed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. Emma rolled her eyes at him before setting Annie down and following the attendant to the throne area.

When she arrived at her father's side, she noticed that her parents were both about to burst with excitement but were trying hard to remain neutral. She suppressed a smile as she cleared her throat, "Daddy, you called for me?"

"Ah, yes," he grinned, almost mischievously. "It's time for my speech."

Emma groaned dramatically, "Oh no."

He hushed her before raising a hand to the crowd. Almost immediately, the noise died down, and everyone was looking at the king in rapt attention. Emma always admired how respected her father was. Despite that, Prince Charming had always remained the humble man he was.

"Thank you. First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for coming. Tonight is a very special night for my family, especially to my little girl," he smiled at her. Emma's heart warmed. "For eighteen years, I watched her grow up into the beautiful woman she is today, and she's done nothing but make me proud all these years. She's beautiful, wise, and strong, just like her mother." Charming gave Snow a teasing grin, making Emma and everyone else laugh.

"Emma," he said, making her look up at him. "I love you. From the moment you were born, I promised myself to love and take care of you. I might not be the perfect father, but I feel like I have the most perfect daughter in all the realms." Emma felt tears in her eyes as she gave him a smile.

"Careful. Annie's here," Snow interjected, making everyone laugh.

Charming cleared his throat before continuing. "From your first steps, your first smile, your first words, your first laugh, I feel so blessed to have witnessed every single moment. My wish for you, my dear, is that you'll be good." Emma looked at him and nodded. "I know there will be challenges ahead of you, and most of it would test who you are. I know that it might be scary, but I promise I'll always be there when you need me. You'll always be my little girl, so if anyone hurts you." He looked at the crowd as if addressing a specific person. "I'll know." The audience responded with laughter, but Emma knew he was serious.

"Happy birthday, Emma," he finished, raising a glass of wine in the air. "Cheers."

"Cheers!"

Emma stood up and hugged her father tightly. "I love you, Daddy."

He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "There's someone who wants to dance with you."

Emma shook her head immediately, "I don't want to dance with anyone, Dad."

"Oh, but you do," Charming smiled, beckoning towards someone standing in front of them.

He was wearing his signature all-black leather and held a single rose in his hand. He has never looked more handsome in her eyes. Emma gasped at the sight of him before turning to her father, "Dad, you knew about this?"

"He had planned this since the day we left, love," Killian Jones grinned, giving her an appreciative glance.

Emma looked at her father with teary eyes before Charming nudged her to go to him. "Go, before I change my mind."

The music transitioned into a soft romantic tune, making everyone move to give the couple space on the dance floor. Emma gave Charming a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping down to give Killian a mocking glare, "You told me you couldn't make it."

"Aye, but I also said I'll make it up to you upon my return," he replied, smiling. She bit her lower lip as he shyly held her hand and snaked another hand around her waist. "So, this is me making it up to you," he murmured before dancing.

His blue eyes showed complete adoration making her melt. "You look stunning, love," he whispered. She felt like she was in cloud nine as he twirled her, making her giggle. She looked around and saw everyone looking at them. Suddenly, she felt shy.

"Everyone's looking," she murmured.

Killian looked around and grinned, "I'm not going to apologize for my good looks, if that's what you mean."

Emma rolled her eyes teasingly. "Too much salt water can damage the brain, you know."

"Ah, someone's been studying," he commented. "And if you've been paying attention, you'd know it's not wise to drink salt water."

"That may be, but you're not exactly one of the smartest people I know, Killian," she mocked.

He had a witty comeback but decided to give up for her sake. Damn, this girl got him whipped. "Point taken."

Emma laughed. Now, everything was perfect. She got her dream celebration, had her first dance with her father, and ended with a dance with Killian. What else would she want?

Just then, her two siblings ran past them, obviously high from their sugar rush and covered head-to-toe in chocolate. Emma grinned, _Oh, there was certainly one more thing on the list._

"FOOD FIGHT!"

* * *

 _Reviews make me happy!_


	10. Emma met Baelfire

Papa wasn't home.

The young boy had just finished cleaning up the kitchen after his meal and was contemplating whether to test his father's patience by going outside. People were scared of him because of his father, but it didn't mean that he didn't feel bored whenever he was stuck at home doing nothing. The forest seemed to supply a good amount of surprises that would keep him occupied for a while. Besides, Papa didn't have to know. He just had to be back by sundown.

Gathering his green cloak from the hook beside the door, he looked around the house, scanning if he had left something undone before leaving. The place looked clean enough, so the only scolding he would receive in the even that he would be caught would be that he went outside without permission. He covered his head with the hood of the cloak before walking out the door.

It was a little later than noon, so the people were only wandering about the village aimlessly unlike the hustle and bustle of the early mornings. He kept his head down and quietly slipped into the forest without anyone noticing him pass by.

About fifteen minutes into his hike, he had found himself by the riverbank. The cool running water tasted sweet and felt refreshing against his hot skin. He sat there for a while, marveling in the peaceful hum of the forest. Sometimes, being alone was all right with a good view.

Looking around, he wondered if he would be safe if he were to lie down and close his eyes for a moment. He shrugged. No creature would even attempt to lay a finger on him, knowing who his papa was. He lied down on the ground and looked up at the clear blue sky. Now, that was a view.

Closing his dark eyes, he sighed in content. The sound of running water, birds chirping, and the rustling of leaves together was calming. He was about to fall asleep when a loud scream jolted him out of his reverie. He stood up quickly to scan his surroundings of possible dangers. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.

Placing a hand on his hidden dagger, he walked towards the direction of the sound. After a few steps into the dense greenery, he found a girl no older than he was studying her bleeding leg. She was wearing a long pink dress and a white shimmering cloak that were ruined by the soil. He wondered if he should introduce himself and help her, but she might run away like the rest of the children who see him within their perimeter.

"Hey," he said softly without thinking it through, making her snap up to him. Her beautiful green eyes had tears in them, and her blonde braid was already messy. She must've fallen from something by the looks of it. "Are you okay?" he asked carefully, coming closer.

She shook her head and hastily wiped her tears away, not wanting to look weak in front of a stranger. "I'm fine. My leg just hurts."

"What happened?" he asked gently, crouching down in front of her. He marveled at the fact that they were still talking, and she didn't look at him in fear. By the look of the wound, he needed to wash it before tying it up with something to stop the bleeding.

"I fell of my horse," she explained before sniffing involuntarily. "Sierra had run off, and I have no idea how I'm going to get back home. Nobody knows I've left the castle."

His eyes snapped up to hers. "You're the princess?" he asked, suddenly interested. He didn't expect to meet anyone in royalty in person before, so this was a pleasant surprise, although the pretty dress and the shimmering cloak should have been a dead giveaway. Clearing his thoughts, he focused on the main problem first. He needed to patch her up.

"There's a river not far from here. I can take you there to wash this up," he offered, gesturing towards her injury. She looked pained at the thought of moving let alone stand on her own. He gave her a small smile in understanding. "Don't worry. I'll help you." He placed her arm over his shoulders and lifted her up with ease. She bit her lower lip as she felt her cheeks burn. It was the first time she was alone with someone she'd never met, and that someone carrying her like that.

The princess watched him silently as he gently washed her wound and wrapped the cloth he tore from his cloak tightly around her leg. The pain had somewhat numbed by then, and she felt slightly better than she did earlier. She washed the dirt away from her arms and face before drinking from the running water. After, she sat down and noticed that he was watching her.

"You haven't told me your name," she started shyly before offering her hand to him. "I'm Emma."

He looked surprised when she said that. It took a moment for him to grasp her hand in his. "I'm Baelfire," he replied with a small tentative smile.

Emma grinned. "That's a cool name."

"Really?" he asked with a big smile.

She let go of his hand and leaned on them behind her. "Yeah. Baelfire."

"My mother gave it to me," he told her proudly, his smile faltered a bit at the mention of his parents but he tried not to let it show. "My father says it's a strong name."

"It is," Emma smiled at him. She looked at the water for a moment before asking, "So, why are you here all alone?"

"I should ask you the same question," he said, not wanting to answer it himself.

She shrugged. "I got bored."

"In the castle?" he asked, looking incredulous. "I find that hard to believe."

"Believe me, people tend to exaggerate what's inside," Emma laughed. "How about you? Where do you live?"

"Just a small village not far from here," Baelfire answered tightly. "Wouldn't your parents be worried?" he added, making the princess tense. "You're a bit far from home."

Emma frowned. "I know. I'm already expecting a scolding when I get home." She sighed before turning to him. "Don't you wish we'd grow up faster? Being a kid sucks. You can't go out and have an adventure without permission. Where's the fun in that?"

Baelfire chuckled but didn't say anything. "Come on," she insisted. "Don't tell me you haven't thought of running away. Living an entirely different life?" Her words made him think about his father.

"Sometimes," he answered quietly.

She wasn't expecting that. "Really? I was joking."

Laughing, he nudged her with his shoulder. "Of course, you are. You're the princess." She gave him a look that said that she knew he was avoiding her question. He picked up a stone and twirled it with his fingers before answering with a sigh. "My father is very protective." That was an understatement. "If he knew where I was right now, he might throw a fit." She giggled. "It's true!" he insisted.

"No, I know," she said. "My dad would throw a fit, too, when he finds me."

"Really?" he challenged. "He'd find you in the middle of nowhere? The forest is huge."

Emma looked proud for a moment before answering. "Of course. He will always find me."

"By the looks of things, that may take a while," Baelfire commented.

Emma shrugged at that. "I'm not worried. Talking to you is fun." Hope blossomed in his chest at her words. Maybe it wouldn't be so late to have a friend after all.

* * *

The two children didn't notice the time passing by as they talked about every possible topic that they thought of. Emma found her first friend, and Baelfire found his. As the sun was beginning to set, they've realized that they have exhausted everything there is to talk about, making them sit there in comfortable silence. Emma glanced at Baelfire and found herself blushing when she noticed for the first time that he was actually pretty cute.

Her serene smile turned upside down at the sound of horses' hooves coming from the forest. Her heart thudded as her wide eyes met Baelfire's frightened ones. What if they were black knights? He immediately helped her up, and they quickly hid behind the bushes. She peeked over the greenery to see who had disturbed them despite her friend's protests. Once she saw that it was her father along with a few knights, she jumped up from her hiding place and ran.

"Daddy!" Emma shouted, suddenly forgetting about Baelfire and focusing on her father. She knew he would come for her. Prince Charming's worried expression turned to relief at the sight of his baby girl running towards him. He dismounted his horse and opened his arms wide to catch her.

"Emma," Charming breathed out as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "You're okay. You're okay." The way he said it was more of convincing himself rather than his daughter. He cradled her head with one hand and exhaled in anxiety. "You're okay, kiddo."

"Daddy, I want you to meet someone." Emma was grinning at him excitedly when she pulled back all too soon from his embrace. Those were the words he dreaded to hear the most, and Snow promised him thirty more years before he had to face them. She started to pull his hand in the direction where she and Baelfire were previously hiding and frowned when she can't see him.

"Baelfire?" she called out, but no response came. "Baelfire, come out!"

That name rang warning bells in Charming's head. He knew who had a son with that name. Although he knew that it would break Emma's heart to ban her from seeing her friend, her safety was much more important to him. He would certainly not risk his daughter's life by letting her be friends with the Dark One's son. That was too much.

"Emma, come on." Charming said, pulling her hand gently to keep her away. "He probably went home already."

The princess whimpered as she glanced up at him before turning back to the bushed. "No. He was right there. What if he's in danger, Daddy? Baelfire!"

"Emma," her father said, kneeling down in front of her.

Emma's eyes were already tearing up. "But, Daddy, he was right there."

"I know, baby. I know." Charming whispered, wiping her tears away. "He probably had to run home, too. His parents must be worried about where he is. I know I was when I couldn't find you." Emma sniffed as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. His heart broke at the sight, making him sigh and lift her up in his arms. "Come on. Let's get you home. Your mother is worried sick about you."

Emma rested her head on his shoulder and watched the bush getting farther and farther away. She sniffed before closing her eyes tiredly. She would come back, mentally promising him that she would come back for him. They will see each other again soon. They will go off deep into the forest where the knights will have a harder time at finding them. There will be more stories to tell and more adventures to be done.

But at that moment, with her dad's arms protectively secured around her, there was no place she'd rather be.

* * *

"How many times do I have to tell you not to run off like that, Bae?" Rumpelstiltskin scolded his son once they were inside their house. "You could've gotten hurt! Someone might have abducted you."

"I'm okay, Papa." Baelfire tried. "I promise. I'm sorry. I just wanted to have some fun. I was just…"

"Out with the princess?" his father finished for him with a stern tone. He was quiet. "It is not safe for you to be around her. You're not safe out there."

"But she's kind," he protested. "She didn't hurt me. I even helped her with her injury."

Rumpelstiltskin sighed in frustration. "Don't you get it, Bae? You're my son! People who want to defeat me know that you're my only weakness. Once they get a hold of you, they get a hold of me. That is why I'm trying to protect you."

His son sat down on a chair tiredly. "I just want a friend, Papa. She is the first one who wasn't afraid to talk to me." He had a fleeting smile on his face as he added, "I love talking to her."

"There's no such thing as friends." Rumpelstiltskin snapped bitterly, turning towards the kitchen to prepare their supper. "There are only people who need you in order to get what they want."

Baelfire knew that wasn't true. He silently recalled the moments when Emma was calling out to him, but he couldn't reply since his father already got a hold on him and was pulling him away from her. "Baelfire!" she cried out. He sighed, hoping that she didn't think he abandoned her out there. He was hopeful that they would see each other again. But until then, he had to make it up to his father.

"I'm sorry, Papa," he whispered.

"It's all right, Bae," Rumpelstiltskin replied, tone warm for his son. "Now. Come on. Let's eat."

* * *

 _Please review!_


	11. Emma wanted to make a wish

The fourteen-year-old princess was looking up at the clear night sky on her balcony when Snow White walked in to say goodnight. The mother smiled before closing the door quietly behind her, admiring her daughter's long blonde locks tumbling down her back. Emma was indignant to find a shooting star after Jiminy told her about its magical properties a few nights ago. Every night since then, Snow would find her daughter still awake despite the late hour. She insisted that she needed to find one so that she could make a wish.

Although, Snow wasn't quite sure what Emma wanted to achieve.

"Emma, honey," she said softly, placing a hand on her back. "It's time to go to bed."

"No," her daughter muttered, eyes widening as she tried to encapsulate the entire night sky in one glance. "Just a little while longer. I might miss it."

Snow sighed before copying her daughter's position, her chin resting on her folded arms and eyes looking upward. "Would you mind telling me why you're so insistent on finding a shooting star?"

"Because." Emma stressed out the word but didn't say anything else after that.

She looked over at her daughter and replied, "Well, that certainly cleared up a lot of questions."

Emma pursed her lips together before burying her face into her arms. Snow waited for a moment and was surprised when she heard sniffling. She scooted closer and placed an arm around her, feeling her daughter shaking. "Emma," she said worriedly. "Honey, what's wrong?"

When she still didn't say anything, her mother tried again. "Hey," she said softly, trying to make her look up. "Emma, please. You're worrying me." Emma sniffed again before peeking up at her mother with red-rimmed eyes. After a moment, she threw her arms around Snow in a tight hug, releasing all of the emotions she'd been keeping to herself for the past week.

"He's gone, Momma," the princess sobbed. "He's gone."

Snow stroked the back of her head comfortingly as she asked in confusion. "Who's gone, sweetheart?"

"Baelfire," Emma answered before squeezing her eyes painfully. Sobs were bubbling up from her aching chest. "He's gone."

* * *

Last week, the princess was out on her balcony, watching the people down below walking about and working around the castle. She just finished her studies with the governess, and now she had found herself at a loss on what to do next. Neal was asleep, so playing with him was out of the list. She was tired to go out riding, so she decided that resting out here on the balcony was the next best thing. There was always something interesting to look at.

A bird suddenly landed in front of her with a thin roll of parchment tied to its leg. She raised an eyebrow and looked up at where her parents' balcony was located, but nobody was there. Usually, her dad would play tricks on her and send her silly messages, annoying her at first but sending her into a fit of giggles after she'd read it. It was the kind of thing that made Emma wonder why people were sometimes afraid to approach her father with a problem or a question.

Emma gently took the scroll from the bird before letting it go.

It was from Baelfire based on the writing. She excitedly unfurled it, having not heard from him for weeks. They have been friends for seven years now and were constantly out in the forest in search of adventures. Emma always made sure to be home before sundown to avoid getting caught by her father. Charming had never been a fan of Baelfire.

The letter was short and to the point.

 _Emma,_

 _I have to talk to you. Meet me at our place._

 _Baelfire_

That was odd. His letters usually filled the whole parchment with odd doodles on the side and inside jokes that made her smile like an idiot. She quickly folded it and hid it under the mattress of her bed along with all the other ones. Grabbing her cloak, she rushed out of her room and towards the direction of the main stairwell.

Emma was in such a hurry that she didn't notice her father walking towards her. They crashed into one another just as she had fastened the clasp of the cloak on her neck. Charming dropped the book he was holding, and she was surprised to see him there. "Dad!" she exclaimed before getting his book for him. "Here you go."

Charming was about to say something when she made a sharp turn and fled down the stairs. "Wait, Emma! Where are you going?" her father called out, finding her behavior odd.

"I, uh," she stammered at the foot of the stairs. "I'm going out for a ride with Sierra. I won't be gone long!" Emma ran before Charming could say anything else, knowing that if she stayed longer there will be a whole army coming with her to ensure her safety.

* * *

Baelfire was sitting by the riverbank when she arrived. His back was turned towards her, so she quietly walked over to him. Emma was halfway to scaring him when he suddenly said, "You're not as quiet as you think you are, Emma."

The princess sighed before sitting down beside him in defeat. "You suck the fun out of everything."

He laughed, but it came out forced. She glanced up at him in curiosity. His long black hair was unkempt and falling in front of his dark eyes. He wasn't smiling, something he usually did when she came down to visit him. That made her nervous. Whatever he had to tell her, it had to be bad based on his demeanor. "Baelfire, what's wrong?" she asked.

He looked over at her and was about to tell her but hesitated. Emma saw that he was nervous, so she gave him an encouraging smile. "Come on. You know you can tell me anything."

Baelfire had always seen her as the princess, someone out of his league, but there were times that he was able to see her up close and find himself unable to breathe. She was his best friend, but it didn't blind him from the obvious fact that she was beautiful. God, she was so beautiful. The way her hair framed her face, the way she laughed without a care in the world, the way her eyes sparkled with mischief whenever they were out in the forest. She was smart and always equipped with a witty comeback to his jokes. For him, she was perfect.

He knew that seeing her would make his decision harder, but he had to. It may be his last chance to see her.

Meanwhile, for Emma, everything seemed like it was going in slow motion. She saw his face coming closer and closer, his eyes glancing down at her lips before looking up into her eyes. He was asking permission, and she felt frozen in place. Was this really happening? Before she could react, his lips were pressed against hers.

It felt strange. She thought that kissing someone would feel different, that was what the storybooks say. The princess pulled back, blinking up at him in surprise. Baelfire opened his eyes slowly and gulped, afraid of what she might say. "What's going on?" she asked after a while.

He closed his eyes again and turned his head to look at the running water a few inches from their feet. "My father and I are leaving." Emma stared at him in surprise, not expecting that at all. He glanced over at her before shrugging, "I'm leaving."

The two friends sat there in silence. The girl shaken with the sudden news, and the boy nervous of what she will say. "Where are you going?" she asked, feeling numb. Suddenly, she felt like someone had punched her in the gut. He was leaving her. Her best friend was leaving.

"I don't know," Baelfire answered softly. "But we need to, for both my sake and his. We need a fresh start." She noticed him holding a necklace he had never worn before. The pendant being a magic bean, making her eyes widen at the implication. Magic beans are portals to another land. She was going to lose him.

"You can have a fresh start here!" Emma insisted. Her chest started to ache, and her eyes were tearing up. "You don't have to leave this _realm._ What are you thinking? Who knows what it's like at the other side of a portal? What if you _die_?"

He looked up at her. "But I have to try," he answered. "My father needs this. I need this. I don't want to live in a place where nobody even wants to be near me, where my best friend has to sneak behind her parents' back just to see me. I don't want that."

Emma pulled her hands away from him and looked into his eyes angrily. "You don't want to be my friend anymore? Is that what you're saying?"

"No, I –," he stammered.

"I can't believe that after everything you've been through, you're still the one suffering the consequences of your father's actions," the princess interrupted before standing up. He immediately followed her, not wanting her to walk away just yet. He wanted a proper goodbye, even if it meant her being angry with him.

"It's not like I have a choice on who my father is, Emma," Baelfire argued. "No matter who he is or what he's done, he's still my father. I have to go with him."

The princess turned away to keep him from seeing her tears, folding her arms over her chest. "Then what's stopping you?" she asked, voice wavering. "Go live your new life. I hope you'll be happy."

"Emma," he said, grabbing her arm to make her face him. His expression softened when he saw her tears. "Emma, the only thing holding me back is you. I don't want to lose you. Don't think that this isn't hard for me, too."

Baelfire was really leaving her. The thought made her want to punch something. She tried to control her anger but failed as she pulled her arm away from his grasp and said, "You can't just come waltzing into my life, promising me that you'll always be there for me, and then telling me that you're leaving the _realm_. You can't do this. You can't do this to me!"

"I know. I'm sorry," Baelfire said brokenly. "But I don't know what else to do."

Emma sniffed before shaking her head, sighing, "You know what. If you think that it's best for your family, then go. Leave."

"Emma," he groaned, grabbing her arm again. "If you really are my best friend, you would understand."

"Don't play the best friend card on me, Baelfire," she snapped. "I do understand. I know you're doing this for your father, but think about it. You're about to jump into a portal, not knowing whether you'll end up somewhere better than the Enchanted Forest or worse. You're willing to give up your life here for your father who doesn't even give a damn about anything but his power."

"That's not true," Baelfire said, his tone warning her to not say what he thought she would say. "My father loves me, and he agreed to go with me if it meant a new future for the both of us."

Emma couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "Really? Rumpelstiltskin is willing to give up everything to go to a place where they might be no magic, nothing for him to use to manipulate people into doing what he wants them to do? I don't think so."

"Don't talk about my father that way, Emma."

She shook her head before holding her hands up. "You know what. Do what you want to do. Don't come back to me when you realize that I'm right. Oh, wait. You can't do that because you're in another realm."

"That's not fair, Emma," Baelfire said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Don't make me choose between my father and you. That's not fair."

"I'm not making you choose," Emma said, voice becoming passive. "I'm saying that I hope you'll be happy with your decision. I hope, I sincerely hope, that your father will stay true to his word. But the truth of the matter is you're still leaving me when you promised you never would."

He looked crestfallen. "Emma, please. I don't want to leave knowing you're mad at me."

"Too bad you are then," the princess said, starting to walk back to where her horse was waiting.

"Emma!" he called out, but she continued walking. "Don't do this! Don't shut me out!"

The princess walked away, tears rolling down her cheeks as she did. She mounted Sierra and glanced over at him briefly. What she saw would be her last memory of him as a fourteen-year-old boy. He was standing there on the spot where they first met, watching her walk away from him with tears in his eyes.

She didn't even say goodbye.

* * *

Snow's heart broke after hearing Emma's story. The princess looked exhausted with her red nose and puffy eyes, glancing up at her mother before continuing her narrative. "I didn't even say goodbye to him. I didn't tell him how much I'm going to miss him. I didn't tell him how much he meant to me. That's what he wanted me to say. That's why he made me meet him that day, Mom. He wanted a proper goodbye, and I didn't give it to him."

She gave out a short, humorless laugh. "And you know, the funny part is," she added. "I saw Rumpelstiltskin the other day. Just doing his thing, terrorizing the village like any normal day. I thought I had a chance to redeem myself." Her tone lowered as she tried to keep her emotions under control. "I thought he didn't leave."

"Mom, he let him go," Emma whispered brokenly. "I don't know how." She exhaled to calm herself. "How could a father abandon his own child?"

Snow looked confused for a moment. "Surely, Baelfire would've noticed his father wasn't following him. if they were leaving together, then he must've noticed when his father –."

Emma shook her head and interrupted, "They used a magic bean." Snow's heart dropped. Baelfire was in another realm, somewhere they couldn't reach even if it meant using another portal. There were different worlds they could end up in. Who knows where he was? "All Rumpelstiltskin told me was that he's gone, and he had no idea how to get him back."

The princess pursed her lips together, willing herself not to cry and shaking. "Oh, Emma," Snow breathed out.

"That's why I need this wish, Mom," she told her. "I need to bring him back. I need to tell him that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I let him down like his father did. I'm sorry that I wasn't the best friend I was supposed to be. I'm sorry that I overreacted and used his father against him. Who knows what might have happened to him, Mom? What if he's hurt? What if –?"

"Hey," her mother hushed her as she pulled her into an embrace. Snow stroked her daughter's hair lovingly as Emma rested her chin on her shoulder. "We'll find a way. We'll find a way to get him back."

Emma felt tired as she closed her eyes, relaxing as her mother ran her hand through her hair. She was going to get her best friend back. She had no idea how she would be able to accomplish that since Rumpelstiltskin himself didn't know how, but she would. She's going to get Baelfire home where he belonged.

Unbeknownst to the sleeping princess, a shooting star passed above the castle, and hearing her silent wish. Her wish will be granted, but he was coming back at a time when she was expecting him the least.

Her wedding day.


	12. Snow was captured

The night sky was clear as the two figures ran through the trees of the dark forest. The march of knights and their horses was in rhythm with their racing hearts. The girl with the red hood pulled her friend's hand suddenly, pulling her behind a huge bark of a tree. They both held their breaths as the soldiers marched right past them. The only time they dared breathe was when they were drenched in darkness. The princess whispered, "I think we're safe."

Red peeked from their hiding place to make sure before nodding to Snow White. "All clear." They both quietly walked out of their hiding place. "Granny's cabin isn't far from here. We can't stay out here in the forest where it's teeming with King George's army. The last thing we need is to be captured."

"Charming," Snow tried to argue. She needed to see him and make sure he was okay. He was back in her palace, where they were currently residing after defeating the Evil Queen. The sudden midnight attack surprised her and Red, having gone out riding only a few hours before the fighting began. They were lucky they were about to outrun them, but the princess had to make sure her prince was safe.

Red grabbed her arm, looking into her eyes seriously. "Snow, David would be fine. Trust me. He has a whole army behind him. King George won't be able to lay a finger on him. We have to keep moving and find shelter."

Snow shook her head, adamant to push through with her plan. "I know, but I'm certain he'll come looking for me. I have to go back. I have to be with him."

"Are you serious?" her friend asked in disbelief. "You're going to risk your life out there? You know King George is still out for your blood."

"Not mine," Snow replied. "Charming's, and I can't just stay hidden somewhere without making sure that –."

"There you are."

Snow yelped as a sack covered her head, struggling to get it off of her. She also heard Red fighting back as she fought to get out of her dark prison, panicking when she realized it was getting harder to breathe in the confined space. She felt something hard hit the back of her head before she collapse onto the forest floor, unconscious.

* * *

"We have to start without them, my king," one of the knights told Charming. He looked at the empty seats of Snow and Red anxiously, ignoring the knight's statement. They went out riding before the chaos began, and frankly he had a terrible feeling that they were not okay. It was just after the midnight attack, and he had called his men in to hold an emergency meeting at the War Room after the fighting had ceased. Although he already sent some knight to go out looking for the two women, he still felt responsible to find his own fiancée. But his people needed his guidance more than ever at that moment so he couldn't abandon them now.

"King George has declared war by sending in his army. They might have retreated for the time being, but the reality is that he will not stop until we are defeated. Send the signal to alert everyone to keep their eyes open at the borders. We need to keep the causalities at a minimum."

The door opened with a bang, startling everyone in the room. Red, her hood soiled, had a haunted expression on her face as her eyes scanned the room for Charming. It was clear on her face and clothes that she had just come out of a struggle. Charming's heart dropped when he realized she was alone.

"Red, where's Snow?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear her answer.

"I'm sorry, James," Red answered, her lips trembling. "I tried to stop them. They got her. King George has Snow."

* * *

The sack was yanked away from her head, making her groan from the sudden light directed towards her eyes. The dull ache at the back of her head made her feel lightheaded, but the surge of fresh air was welcoming after a long time with the sack almost suffocating her. Snow looked around and found herself in a familiar War Room in another castle, the one where she was forced to betray Charming in the worst way possible.

Her hands were bound behind her, and her feet were tied to the legs of the chair. A menacing chuckle came from behind her, but she kept her expression unfazed. She needed to escape, and emotions tend to keep her from thinking carefully. "Escaping is futile, Snow White." King George revealed himself from the shadows as he came around to stand in front of her.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she growled. "What do you want?"

"I want a lot of things." George answered vaguely, walking around her like a vulture stalking its prey. "One of the those things is to get rid of you and your so-called prince. I've tried threatening your Charming's life. I've tried cursing you. None of them has worked in my favor. True love still prevailed," he sneered.

Snow shrugged. "You probably just suck being a villain."

King George stopped in his steps to glare at her. "Possibly," he said with a tight smile. "However, I did capture you for a reason."

The soldiers entered the door behind her, making her look up at him in curiosity, denying him the pleasure of seeing her in fear. "What is that?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from wavering. Her heart was racing as she thought of the things this man might possibly do to her to hurt Charming.

"To kill you," George answered simply. Her heart dropped at that. "As you said, I suck at being a villain, give me the chance to prove to you that it is _quite_ the opposite actually."

Two knights yanked Snow up from her chair, making her wince at the vice grip they had on her arms. "But," the king added with a sly smirk. "Death is too easy." He shrugged tauntingly, "A little torture perhaps? I'd love to see your prince's face when I do kill you."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Payback," George replied. "Your prince ruined me. Now it's my time to ruin him. What better way to destroy him than to kill the love of his life?"

* * *

"We can't leave the castle unguarded. If we all leave now, King George might take the opportunity to come back and take over."

"We can't let you go in there alone, James. You can't just barge in there without backup. The king would have your head."

"Red's right, your highness. King George wants a fight? We'll give him a fight."

"I've spent quite some time in the king's palace, your majesty. I know my way around. We can take Red, Granny, the dwarfs, and a couple of knights with us."

"I think we'll need more than that, Lancelot. The king will be expecting us. We have to be prepared."

"We're wasting precious time! My fiancée's life is in his hands. Who knows what they're doing to her?"

"Then let's go. This isn't the first time we've broken into the king's castle, your majesty. We know what to do."

"All right, then. Let's split up. Lancelot, you take the north. Granny, you take the east side with the dwarfs. Knights, west. Red and I will take the south. If King George has Snow, she must be in the dungeons somewhere."

The group followed their orders without another word. Red caught up with Charming's long strides and said quietly, "I'm sorry, David."

"It's not your fault, Red."

"You and I both know what King George is capable of. Snow might be hurt –."

"That's why I need you to focus." The soon-to-be-crowned king stopped to face his fiancée's best friend. Red looked frightened, not just for what they were about to do but for her friend as well. Charming felt the same way. "If we work together, we can find her faster. We can do this, Red."

Red nodded. "Of course, we can."

* * *

Swords clanged against one another on the bloodied palace grounds of King George's castle. Arrows were flying everywhere, and fires were starting. Everything was in chaos. Red was right by saying they needed more men than they brought along, but it certain didn't prevent Charming from fighting harder for Snow. George's forces were getting weaker.

"James, we have to go!" Red called from her hiding place before yanking away her cloak. He quickly got hold of it just as Red transformed into a wolf. She howled and ran through the attacking soldiers, demolishing them within seconds. He followed her lead, knowing that her sense of smell could easily track Snow's location, all the while fighting his way through.

It wasn't long before they found themselves in the underground dungeons. With Red tracking Snow, it took only a minute or two to find her in that vast prison. What Charming saw would forever be ingrained in his mind for the rest of his life, his heart breaking into two at the sight.

"Snow." His voice caught as he let go of his sword and ran towards where Snow was. She was unconscious and bleeding. Her hands shackled above her head. Her dress was torn at different places with dried blood from the open cuts on her flesh. Charming quickly grabbed his sword and broke the chains, catching her as she fell. "Snow," he whispered, pushing her hair from her face. "Snow, wake up! Please."

A chuckle brought him back to reality. "She's dead." The voice of the king sparked a new kind of anger he never knew he had in him. He did this. He did this to Snow, his beautiful, wonderful Snow. A tear ran down his cheek as he narrowed his eyes at the king's figure, seeing red with rage. "You did this," Charming seethed.

"No, they did." George motioned to the two men who revealed themselves from the shadows. Charming and Red realized then that they were surrounded. Charming brought Snow closer to him in an attempt to safeguard her from them. "And they're more than ready to kill you both as well."

Suddenly an arrow flew past Red's head and sunk itself into the head of the knight behind Charming. Another one flew past and killed the other soldier instantly. King George turned around to face the newcomer and remarked unkindly, "Well, if it isn't the man who jumped ship. Quite surprised you had the audacity to show your face around here again."

Lancelot stepped forward, his arrow aimed towards George. They both knew that it was a perfect aim, and that the king was looking at the face of death at that instant. "Go ahead," George said, stretching his arms to his sides. "Shoot."

"After what you've done to Snow White, you deserve death," Lancelot said.

"No," Charming said, surprising everyone in the room. "He deserves much worse." He looked over at Red, who immediately got his message. It took a couple of seconds for Lancelot to realize what that meant, making him withdraw his arrow and placing it back on the sheath behind him. King George looked at a loss. "We'll leave you to it, Red."

Red's tongue wetted her lips before she showed off her sharp teeth, making the king realize what was happening. Charming gathered Snow securely in his arms and ran out of the dungeons with Lancelot trailing behind him. They needed to bring Snow home and have her checked out immediately. She was still breathing, but her pulse was slowing, scaring her fiancé even more. He cannot lose her.

King George watched them before closing his eyes and turning to the wolf in front of him. The last things he remembered were Red overpowering him and the inside of a wolf's mouth before everything turned into darkness.

* * *

Pain.

Snow remembered pain as the electric currents ripped through her body, pain as the whip descended on her once flawless skin, pain as the men dragged her across the floor when she refused to get up. She just remembered so much pain. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak, her voice hoarse from crying and screaming. Her lungs were about to burst, making her eyes open wide in fear.

Charming was immediately in her line of vision, as if an angel coming down from heaven to save her. He was saying something she couldn't hear. His hands were on her cheeks, making her reach up and grasp them tightly with her own. She dug her nails into his skin fearfully, not knowing that she was hurting him. "Calm down, Snow. Calm down." She felt like a fish out of water.

He helped her sit up to help her get her breathing under control. Her whole body was still in pain, but it had lessened significantly. The blue fairy and Doc were there behind him, watching her with wary eyes. She scanned the room, making sure no one else was there to suddenly take her away. Charming noticed what she was doing.

"Hey, look at me," he ordered gently, placing his hand on the back of her head to make her face him. "Look at me, Snow. I'm right here."

Suddenly, everything came rushing back to her in full force. Snow closed her eyes firmly, hoping to block out everything, but the memories of her time in the dungeons became more vivid. The menacing laughter of the men came back haunting her. A strangled cry escaped her lips, making Charming embrace her tightly. "You're safe. I won't let them hurt you."

Sobs bubbled out of her aching chest as she clutched his tunic tightly in her hand. She felt so tired, but she didn't want to sleep. She was aching, but she didn't want Charming to let go. All of her emotions came pouring out, and her fiancé just continued to stroke her hair as he whispered words of comfort in her ear.

"I'm here, Snow. I won't let them hurt you. I'm right here, and I love you so much."

The door softly closed, signaling the other two have left the room. Snow buried her face into the crook of his neck and breathed him in, making sure that this was reality and not just some dream. Charming was stroking her hair and back as he kissed her head. "I love you, Snow. You're safe now."

After a while, she had sagged in his arms, making him think that she had already fallen asleep. He was about to lay her back down when she whispered hoarsely in his ear, "You found me, Charming."

He stilled, caught off-guard by her words. His surprised chuckle made her heart flutter. "Did you ever doubt I would?"

When her head hit the pillow, she saw that there were tears running down his cheeks. He hastily wiped them away before offering her a glass of water. The cool water felt like heaven running down her burning throat. After she drank, Charming placed the glass back on the table and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go to sleep."

Snow immediately caught his hand before he moved. "Charming. Stay with me?"

He gave her a gentle smile and nodded. She scooted carefully to the side to give him some space before he lied down beside her. She rested her head on his chest, their hands intertwining on top of his stomach, and his arm wrapped around her shoulders. They were both quiet for a while, his rhythmic breathing slowly lulling her to sleep.

Before dreamland completely overtook her, Snow heard Charming say, "I'm so sorry, Snow." His tone broke her heart. It was the last thing she heard before she succumbed to sleep.


	13. Emma met Killian

One of the things Emma loved to do during her free time was to duel with her father. Even though her love for archery topped over everything else, sword fighting was her bonding time with Charming. She rarely got to see him due to his demanding work duties, but she knew that he was trying his best to be there as much as he could for his children. That was why, whenever Charming wasn't available, it was usually Lancelot who was forced to be her competitor for the day.

Nobody really wanted to faux-battle with the princess in fear that they'll accidentally harm her. To most of the castle staff, Emma was still the little girl sought for her father when she's hurt and the one who got away with everything. She was their first little princess in a long while, so they were fiercely protective of her. Also, King James might be compassionate towards his people, but nobody wanted to test the extent of it by accidentally harming his little girl.

Meanwhile, Emma was adamant for a fight. She was bored out of her mind in her bedroom and came down to the training grounds to, well, train. When she arrived, however, the knights she saw from her bedroom balcony suddenly disappeared much to her disappointment. She was about to give up when movement caught her eye. She grinned when she recognized the man, "Lancelot!"

The caught knight winced inwardly before turning to the princess with a smile. "Emma! Anything I could do for you, your highness?"

"Duel?" the princess asked, hand on the hilt of her sword. "Unless you have something pressing to attend to?"

"Actually," the knight answered quickly. "Your father was just looking for me to discuss some battle plans. He said it was quite important that I'd be there. Sorry, your highness."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But… Dad's in a meeting with the advisers right now, is he not? He told me that was his reason why he couldn't train with me today."

Lancelot stilled before replying slowly, not wanting to be caught lying. "Well, yeah." He quickly recovered. "Our meeting is scheduled after. The royal navy needed to see him, and he has requested my presence there."

"Oh," Emma said, visibly defeated. "All right. I'll just practice on the dummy then."

Lancelot gave her an encouraging smile before walking away. The dummy was no fun to duel with, she thought to herself as she readied for practice. It's not going to fight back.

Unless.

Emma looked around surreptitiously with her hands charged with magic. Before she could do anything, a loud clamor from the far eastern side of the grounds broke her concentration and startled her. "Who's there?" the princess called out, pulling her sword out of its sheath. "Come out!"

There was a groan before a boy around her age stumbled out of the fallen shields and weapons. Emma felt worried for a second, inspecting if he was hurt. When she was satisfied there weren't any prominent cuts or bruises on him, she relaxed a little but still had a grip on her sword. He was rubbing the back of his head when he gave her a guilty smirk. "Not the best hiding place, I guess. Sorry for bothering you."

His accent was different, intriguing her. She'd never met anyone who wasn't from their kingdom before. "Who are you?" she asked, guarding herself with the sword. "Were you watching me?"

The boy chuckled. "Well, don't flatter yourself, love." She felt warmth spread to her cheeks at the moniker. "To be honest, I'm just humoring myself as my father has quite a long meeting with the king." The princess's eyebrows shot up at his words. His father was the captain of the royal navy? Interesting.

"Humoring yourself?" she asked going back to the topic at hand. "Are you insulting me?"

He grinned at that, looking at her from head to toe. "A girl with a sword? Huh." He noticed with amusement that he had ticked her off even more. "Most of the time, I associate girls inside their rooms, playing tea time with their stuffed animals."

"Well," Emma scoffed. "I'm a woman, and women can actually fight for themselves."

His smile widened at that. "Really now?"

"Are you insinuating women are no good?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him as annoyance started to rise from her chest.

He shrugged. "I didn't say anything."

"You insinuated it."

"I've yet to insinuate it, love, but since you seem adamant that I do. Then yes, I'm officially insinuating that _you,_ " he pointed out that fact with a pause, walking around her like a vulture to its prey. He stopped behind her to whisper into her ear. "You are no good."

Emma scoffed before distancing herself from him. "Do you know who I am?" she challenged with one eyebrow raised.

"Do I have to?" he smiled boyishly with his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

 _He doesn't know I'm the princess._ She smirked to herself. _This is going to be fun._ Emma went over to the fallen weapons and offered him a sword. "Since you mock my abilities, I take it you know how to wield a sword for yourself?"

The boy grinned as he easily caught the weapon she tossed over to him. "Aye," he replied, poising his sword towards her expertly. "How else would I protect myself from pirates?"

After a beat, their swords clanged against one another. The princess found herself surprised, as she nearly wasn't able to block his swift blade from injury her upper left arm. That made her release all she learned from her father. She ducked when his sword swiped the air above her head. Although she was careful not to injure him, he was too pretty a face to get rid of.

He was impressed. He learned many tricks from his own father abroad their ship whenever they find themselves bored at sea. Although he never had the chance to encounter a pirate yet, his father insisted that he knew how to defend himself when the time came. This girl he was dueling with, however, was hurting hi pride a little as he blocked a strong blow to his abdomen.

She smiled, breathing heavily. "Give up?"

"Not a chance." He struck a rather harsh blow, making Emma fall down on her back. He immediately dropped his sword and went over to check on her. "Are you okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –." He was cut off short when she twisted her legs through his and pulled him down, sending him to the ground. She hopped up triumphantly, a bit too dusty, and placed her hands on her hips. "I win."

He coughed as the dust surrounded him, groaning a little when he said, "All right. You win, love." Emma grinned before offering a hand to help him up. When he got up, he brushed off the dirt on his trousers before adding, "Are you okay, though? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The princess felt heat rise up to her cheeks at his concern. "I'm fine. Thank you."

The boy grinned at her. "I have to admit that my pride has been wounded a bit," he commented. "You have quite a hand there. I wasn't expecting that, love."

"Okay, you have to stop calling me love, it's weird." Emma placed her sword back into its sheath before continuing. "I didn't get your name."

"Killian," he answered, offering her his hand. "The name's Killian Jones."

Emma tried to keep a big smile from appearing on her face as she shook his head. "Killian? That's such a girly name."

Killian scoffed at that. "What's yours then?"

"Emma," she smiled, hoping to see his shocked expression when he realized that she was actually the princess, but he still didn't have a clue.

"Now that's a girl's name," he shot back, making her laugh.

They were quiet and realized that they were still holding each other's hand. They laughed, abashed, as they pulled back simultaneously. "I – uh," he stammered, scratching the back of his head. "I have to go. The ship doesn't know how to clean itself, so…" He chuckled nervously.

Emma grinned, amused at his nervousness. "I'll be afraid if it does. I guess I'll see you around then, Killian."

Killian nodded. "Aye. I'll see you soon, love."

She rolled her eyes at the moniker, making him grin, before walking back to the palace. She glanced back and saw that he was still standing there, watching her with a smile playing on his lips. She bit her lower lip shyly before continuing her way back home.

"Wait!" he called out, making her stop. She turned around to face him. "That's the direction of the castle."

"Yeah," Emma said slowly. "And?"

"Why are you…?" Realization dawned on him, making his eyes widen. Emma fought to keep her face neutral as giggles threatened to erupt. "You – you're the…"

"Goodbye, Killian." The princess gave him a mock salute before flipping her hair behind her and sauntering away in the direction of the palace kitchen. Damn, she loved being a princess sometimes.


	14. Snow got jealous

**Author's Note:** I changed the ending of this particular one-shot and hope you guys enjoy it. To be honest, I liked this new ending than the original one. :) It's much lighter than the first one. Happy reading!

* * *

Emma was upset.

The one thing the eight-year-old hated more than long carriage rides were royal balls. Aunty Ella was holding a birthday party for Alexandra to celebrate her eighth birthday, and she invited her family to the occasion. Her parents were thrilled to say the least, excitedly planning the journey when they go the message. The ball meant a day's journey from their kingdom, gown fittings, socialization, and high heels. Although they weren't that high, anything other than Emma's worn out riding boots was a pain for her. She would rather have geography lessons with the governess, and that is saying something.

Because geography sucks.

"Do I really have to go?" Emma whined as she and Snow entered the fitting room later that afternoon. They were scheduled to have their measures taken for the ball gowns. "I could stay here and watch the castle, Mom." She gasped, "The people can even get a day off."

Snow rolled her eyes, trying to contain her smile. "Emma." She was as stubborn as her father. "We are going. I thought you wanted to see Alexandra again. Now's your chance, honey."

"I meant a sleepover or a picnic with her, not a ball where I have to wear tight dresses and heels," the princess frowned. Snow smiled a little while shaking her head. Emma's going to be a handful when she gets to her teenage years. "Please, Mom? I'll even mop the floors and clean my room."

"Well, you can do that when we get home," Snow answered patiently. Emma groaned, raising her arms as the seamstress took her measurements. "What color would you like, sweetheart?" her mother asked, going through the color swatches in her hand.

"I don't know. Red?" her daughter mumbled as she watched the seamstress work.

Snow smiled. "That sounds perfect." She picked a ruby red swatch for Emma and a glossy silver swatch for herself. "James will be having this as well," she told the maids who were assisting the seamstress who nodded to her order.

The door opened, revealing none other than the king himself. Charming looked handsome, stopping the entire female population of the room from working for a moment. The couple noticed it, making him give his wife a wink and a teasing smile. She can actually hear soft sighs, making her send her eyes heavenward.

"Hello to you, too," Charming chuckled as he snaked an arm around her waist and pecked her cheek lovingly. She looked to the side and saw the people start and continue what they were doing before they were interrupted. "I thought we were over the jealousy thing," he murmured in her ear.

"I'm not jealous," Snow answered quietly, keeping their conversation to themselves. Charming gave her a knowing smile and a chaste kiss before turning to his little princess.

Emma looked up happily at her father when the seamstress was done with her. "Daddy!" she grinned, raising her arms to be picked up. She was not used to seeing her father so early in the afternoon because of his busy schedule keeping him. The only time she sees him was on the evenings and when they had their training together.

Charming picked her up into his arms with an exaggerated groan with Snow looking at them with a loving smile on her lips. "You're getting heavy, kiddo. Is Mommy making you drink too much hot cocoa?" he joked as he placed her on his hip. Quite the contrary, Emma was light for her age.

Emma pouted at him before saying, "I miss you, Daddy."

"I miss you, too, baby." He turned his cheek to face her and said. "Give Papa a kiss." Emma giggled before giving him a peck on the cheek. "That's better."

Emma's happiness died down when she remembered the ball. "Daddy, I don't want to go to the ball. Mommy is making me go." She knew that she could convince her father more easily than her other. Unfortunately for the princess, her father was on her mother's side on this topic.

Snow sighed, making the father-daughter duo face her. "She's as stubborn as you are, Charming." She raised her arms as the seamstress stretched the tape measure across her.

"And her mother isn't," Charming shot back with a grin. He placed his daughter down and kneeled to her level. "We have to go, sweetheart. Don't you remember when Alexandra came here for your birthday? She would want to see you at her party this time."

"But I don't want to wear ball gowns," Emma complained. "They're tight and itchy."

Snow replied. "Well, we can get Freya to loosen it up a bit." She looked at the seamstress for her approval.

Freya nodded, placing the tape measure into her pocket with a smile. "Certainly, your highness. We can even make it a dress for you if you'd like. Something that ends on your knees how does that sound?"

Snow smiled when Emma brightened up at the suggestion. "We can pair it with the black slippers you really like," the mother offered, knowing that her daughter was close to being convinced.

Emma looked thoughtful for a moment before she asked her mother shyly. "Okay, but can you do my hair again, Mommy? Like the last time?"

Charming seized the moment and kneeled beside his daughter. "Can you do my hair, too, Mommy?"

Suddenly, Snow could imagine a little replica of Charming running around the castle. The thought made her smile falter a little, but she tried to keep her voice steady for Emma. "Of course, I will."

* * *

Emma felt beautiful.

They were in the guest chambers of Aunty Ella's castle. Snow was busy fixing her own hair after braiding Emma's hair into her daughter's favorite French braid, something that Eva taught her when she was younger. Emma was busy admiring the loose dress she was wearing that moved every time she did. The seamstress called it a shift dress. It was bright red, had no corset, and ended right on her knees.

The princess then decided then and there that she would make this kind of dress popular in the Enchanted Forest. Girls needed to breathe.

Charming, dressed in silver formal wear and regalia pinned on his white sash, entered the room just as Snow finished putting on her earrings. "Are we ready?" he grinned at how beautiful his wife looked as she did the finishing touches on her make-up and jewelry. She really was the fairest of them all.

"Daddy, you look handsome!" Emma rushed towards him, hugging him around his waist.

"Hey, kiddo. Let me see your dress," Charming said, making his daughter step back and give him a slow twirl. The dress swayed with every movement, making the little girl giggle. "I have to admit. It looks really nice," he commented, looking over at Snow for approval.

Snow gave him a small smile as she walked over and fixed his collar properly. She didn't like the dress at first, preferring the traditional, figure hugging gowns like the one she was wearing, but seeing her daughter look so happy for a ball made her change her mind. "And you," Charming murmured, wrapping his arm around her. "Are you planning to steal Ella's spotlight?" He smiled at her charmingly, giving her a sweet kiss. Emma was back in front of the mirror.

The queen was wearing a silver sheath gown with a bateau neckline with her hair cascading down her back in rich, luscious curls. She smiled before giving her husband another kiss, "You don't look so bad yourself." She pulled back and laughed a little, having to wipe off some of her lipstick from the side of his lips. "We have to go. The ball is about to start."

* * *

Snow felt contented.

The ball was in full swing. Guests were happily chatting with one another with flutes of wine in their hands, the music was playing softly in the background, and the ballroom was decorated with pink and white flowers. Snow sipped her drink quietly at the side as she watched Emma laugh as Charming twirled her around.

He was always so good with her. Sometimes, she envied how Emma felt more drawn to Charming when she felt happy, excited, or even sad. Snow had to admit that he had a way of making anyone feel better just through his words. It was his gift. Charming had admonished her on more than one occasion that Emma loved her just as much.

On the other hand, there was her precious Emma. Emma was and forever will be her happy ending. She was magic. Charming just chuckled when she apologized for having Emma as her new favorite person in the world rather than him. A parent's love was the kind that you go to the ends of the world if it meant your child's happiness. _Ruth was right,_ she thought with a small smile.

"Hey," Cinderella appeared beside her with cheeks flushed from socializing with so many people. "What are you doing here all alone? Where are Emma and James?"

"They're dancing," Snow answered, pointing towards the direction of her family.

"That's adorable," Ella gushed, taking a glass of champagne from one of the passing trays.

"I know."

Emma's attention was suddenly diverted when Alexandra tapped her on the shoulder. The two girls squealed and hugged, catching the attention of the people around them. The two mothers laughed at the sight. "Now, that's adorable." Snow commented.

"I'll drink to that," Ella smiled as they clinked their glasses together.

As Snow sipped, she watched as a woman suddenly appeared in front of Charming, asking for a dance. Her husband gave her a friendly smile and complied, not wanting to be rude. Snow wanted to ignore it, telling herself mentally that it was nothing. Instead, she looked over at Emma who was already busy raiding the food area with Alexandra. She was suddenly struck with the memory of her and Ariel back in Eric's ball years ago.

"Snow," Ella called, making her come back to the present.

"Yes?" she asked, turning back to her friend.

"Are you okay?" Ella asked in concern. Some people were now calling for her, making her torn. "I have to –."

"No, go. It's okay." Snow gave her a tight hug. "I'm so happy to see you. Tell Thomas that we appreciate the invite." Ella grinned and nodded before leaving her, laughing as her other friends cheered when she came over. Snow smiled to herself before turning back to where her husband was standing.

The woman was clearly overstepping her boundaries, and Snow tried to hide her smile from Charming when he glanced over at her with a serious look on his face. _Help me,_ he silently pleaded. She shrugged teasingly, pointing to her glass of champagne, telling him that she needed to finish her drink first. If looks could kill, she'd be dead by then.

Keeping herself from giggling, Snow placed her glass down on one of the tables and sauntered over to where Charming was. The woman was laughing loudly about something and trying to keep his arms around her when Snow cleared her throat to get their attention. Both of them turned to face her, and some of the other guests who were near them glanced over in interest.

"May I?" Snow smiled politely, gesturing towards Charming who grinned at her happily behind the woman's head. The woman turned to look at him, making him somber immediately to give her a normal smile. She curtseyed a little, her face clearly showing that she was annoyed by the interruption before she walked away from them. "Quite a catch you had there, Charming," Snow teased.

He chuckled, easily slipping his arms around his wife, and pulled her closer to him as they danced. Snow closed her eyes and leaned her temple against his chin, smiling contently as they swayed with the music. "No. You're the only woman I'm proud to have in my arms, Snow White."

"Charming, Charming," she murmured, causing him to chuckle again. They were quiet for a few moments with her noticing some of the women glancing over at them, specifically at him. She knew that her husband was very easy on the eyes, but did they have to be that obvious? She sighed a little, something that didn't escape Charming's notice.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pulling back slightly to look down at her. She was still looking at the women who had the decency to look away when they saw her looking. He looked back and understood immediately. "Snow, we've talked about this." He smiled down at her, a little amused. "You don't have to scare them, you know."

Snow's eyes glanced up at his before she settled back to dancing with him. "I'm just scared that one day," she said quietly, resting her chin on his shoulder. "One day you might think that you've made the wrong decision."

Charming tensed in her arms. "Is that what you think?"

"I don't know," Snow said, pulling back slightly to look at him. "Have you seen you? You're kind of handsome, and women notice handsome men."

"But have _you_ seen you?" he countered. "There's a reason why they call you the fairest of them all, Snow." He laughed a little. "And come on, are you honestly doubting my feelings for you? After, what, ten years of being together? Come on. True love doesn't get any truer than us."

The side of her lips pulled up in a smile as she looked down shyly. "I'm sorry. I've been going haywire lately. I don't know where these feelings are coming from." She laughed a little, making him smile down at her. "I don't know. I just feel insecure whenever women throw themselves at you."

Charming placed a kiss on her forehead and pulled her closer. "The only woman I want throwing herself at me is you. No one else." Snow rolled her eyes at his innuendo and couldn't help but smile. "So, I was wondering if I could spare a few moments with you while Emma's occupied." His tone lowered as well as his hand down her back.

"Are you seriously suggesting sneaking out, Prince Charming?" Snow whispered in his ear, pulling his hand up to where it should be placed in public. "Quite the scandal if someone sees us."

He snorted, making her giggle. "It's easy," he told her quietly. "I'll go first, and you follow after. I'd rather not stay here after you've gone because who else is going to save me from all these women. I'm like a magnet."

"Humility becomes you, Charming."

"I try." Charming's grin caused her to smile back as well. "Shall we?"

Snow rolled her eyes, took his hand in hers, and proceeded to pull him towards the exit of the ballroom. "We're married. I highly doubt we have to be secretive at this point." Charming's laughter caused her to smile and made her bold enough to actually wave goodbye to the women who were openly staring at them.

"Did you just wave at them?" Charming laughed incredulously when they got out on the hallway.

Snow's smile turned sultry. "I may have. What are you going to do about it, Charming?" He grinned back at her and was about to kiss her when she pulled away abruptly, giggling as she started to run away. Charming looked at her in surprise before running after her, chasing her as she giggled down the hallway.

God, he loved her.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I couldn't stop smiling as I wrote the last part. I could totally picture them like that. :) Reviews make me happy!


	15. Anne helped Neal with his love life

**Here you go! Some sibling love from Neal and Anne!**

* * *

The one thing Prince Neal cannot comprehend, and probably never will fully comprehend, is how the female mind worked. He grew up in a home with three women and had his fair share of incredibly frustrating stories that boggled his mind to this day. His father coped with it better than he did, only because he knew how to charm his way out of harm's way. While Neal might have inherited his good looks, he certainly did not inherit his talking skills. He had his speech lessons from the governess, but there were limits to his studies.

The female mind was just too complex that men are yet to succeed in their epic feat to understand it.

Now, Astrid was his… actually, if someone asked him what they were, he probably would just stutter and blush his way out of the awkward conversation. He was not the talker of the Charming family. Well, he could say that Astrid was his girl. Yeah, that sounded right. And sweet. He sighed, why did he even attempt to have a relationship?

He was the heir to the throne. He would've been badass at being king even without a wife. His mother was not amused when he told her this, and his father just chuckled and gave him a rather hard slap on the back. When Snow was gone, he then told him, "I know you're going to be a great king, Neal, with or without a wife. But the thing is I want you to have your happy ending as much as your mom does. You have to open your heart to the possibility."

Then he met Astrid. She was the daughter of the baker. They met when the prince decided to take a tour around the kingdom since he rarely did so. He went inside the bakery after catching a whiff of the sweet aroma of baking bread. She had flour on her nose, and her hair was in a messy bun. He asked if they could meet the next day. Neal was more or less whipped by time their day out together ended.

He invited her to the annual ball. She looked stunning in her simple green dress that he had a hard time trying to keep their conversation flowing. So, they danced. And he had never seen a girl look as beautiful as she did that night. However, one of the things he forgot to take into consideration is the amount of princesses who just loved to get his attention. Before Astrid, he reveled at his fame with the ladies. He kept extracting himself from their hands and apologizing profusely to Astrid. She just smiled and said it was fine. The night ended in a good note, and he even got to kiss her on the cheek.

That has been five days ago, and he has not heard from Astrid since. He was getting worried since he kept sending letters to which she either did not receive or was purposely not responding to. He wanted to go down to visit her, but his duties were keeping him. He kept wondering where he went wrong during the ball. Did he smell weird?

Neal was contemplating if he would go to the bakery right now since he was free for the rest of the afternoon, but he had no idea what to say to her. Usually, he would ask his mother these kinds of personal questions, but she and his father just left for a treaty signing in another kingdom. Emma was already living with her husband, so that left Anne.

Anne was in her ballet room, practicing, when he entered quietly. Sometimes he had to take a double look to check if it was really his sister he was talking to or his mother. People often voiced out their wonder at how similar the two looked. Once a long time ago, he snickered that there was a possibility that their dad had nothing to do in her making. He was grounded for a week.

He was not sure if it was his comment or the fact that he knew where babies came from. His parents aren't exactly coming to terms with the fact that he was not a little kid anymore. To them, he was still their little boy who came crying to them when he scratched his knees.

Emma finds everything quite hilarious to this day. One, she was the reason why he scratched his knees. Two, his comment was on point. Three, the fact that he was still being babied by their parents. Four, he was grounded. The one thing he hated the most growing up was that his two sisters got away with _everything._

The younger princess was serenely practicing her steps with one hand on the bar with her eyes closed. Neal quietly went over and sat down on the chair, facing her and excitedly waiting to scare the hell out of her. When she opened her eyes, she gasped and lost her footing.

Not exactly the shock that he was hoping for, but good enough. He grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. She was breathing heavily with a hand over her chest when she asked, "Are you lost?"

"Quite the contrary, dear sister." He gave her a teasing wink to which she rolled her eyes, placing her hand on the bar again. "I need to talk to you," he added with a serious tone.

"If this is about the missing gold from your closet, I had nothing to do with it," she calmly replied.

"What missing gold?" he inquired with interest.

She looked at him for a moment, wondering how in the world her brother was that stupid. "Nothing."

They were quiet for a moment as she raised herself up on the tip of her toes. Neal inwardly cringed at the sight. He knew how that felt, and he'd rather not relive the memory. "It's Astrid," he said quietly.

Anne was looking up at her hand in midair when he said this. She sharply turned her eyes down to him before she landed back on her feet, "Pardon?"

He looked up at her curiously, "What? I said it's about Astrid."

She held up a hand before giggling. "Astrid? Are you coming to me for _dating advice_?"

Neal sighed, standing up. "I knew I was wasting my time."

"No!" she protested, a charming smile still playing on her lips. "No, I want to hear this."

"Have you even any experience with dating?" Neal asked incredulously, already knowing the answer.

She shrugged, "I might have."

He turned to her sharply. "What?" he asked, suddenly in protective brother mode. "How the hell am I not aware?"

"Oh, please. You're worse than Daddy when it comes to me, and I knew you would overreact and probably kill him 'accidentally'." She raised her hands to enact quotation marks in the air before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, I will. And you, too, probably, for sneaking behind my back!" he said resolutely. "Who is insane enough to go out with you anyway?"

"Neal!" she sighed, frustrated. "We were talking about Astrid!"

"And now, we are talking about your secret boyfriend," he said as his hands went to his hips. He looked so much like her dad. It was unnerving.

"He's not my boyfriend," she muttered. "And come on, do you want help with Astrid or not?"

He sighed, defeated. "Fine. But we are not done talking about this secret lover of yours."

She groaned, but a blush was betraying her. "He is not my lover!"

Anne looked so incredibly pissed that Neal was trying not to smile when he added, "It's like I don't even know you anymore!"

"Oh, sweet Jesus. I am leaving. If you want help with your girlfriend, you go to Emma's place. Oh wait, the ship has already sailed. You can go ask Mom or Dad. But oh, wait. They're gone, too. Good luck with that." With a sniff, she marched towards the door.

"Annie," he chuckled, pulling her arm. "Okay, I won't ask about _secret lover_ anymore." She groaned at the nickname. "Just help me."

She regarded him for a moment before sighing, "Fine. But I need some hot cocoa for this."

* * *

"It is simple, really," Anne replied after Neal finished his story before sipping her hot drink. She placed the mug down before adding, "You are an idiot. In fact, all men are."

"Okay, Annie. I know that," he gave her a tight smile. "Just... what do I have to do?"

She shrugged, "Go down there with flowers and apologize."

He leaned back on his chair. "Apologize? What did I do?"

"You let those women harass you."

"I told you, I didn't!"

"Those women harassed you," she corrected calmly.

"Shouldn't I be the one upset by that and not her?"

"Those women threw themselves at you, and she felt out of place. I mean, she's not royalty, and those princesses were. I mean, it's easy for a guy to turn his attention to beautiful women with a higher social standing. Even though those women are selfish, bratty, incompetent, narrow-minded -."

"Okay, Annie. I get it," he stopped her.

She sighed, crossing her arms. "You just don't know how vulnerable girls feel whenever they open themselves up to potential love interests, you know. Not everyone finds their true love like Mom and Dad did." She muttered, "They had it easy."

Neal just smiled, placing a hand on her arm. "He'll come around. And when he does, I'll have my sword ready."

He stands up. "Where are you going?" she asked. She looked alarmed for a moment, "You're not going to look for him, are you?"

"Why, yes, I am. Because there are only about a few thousand people in our kingdom. When I ask who had the audacity to court my sister behind the entire _royal_ family's back, he will courageously step forward declaring his undying love for you, undaunted by the knowledge that I might potentially kill him."

"A no would've been just fine," she muttered.

"I'm going to Astrid. I am not going to lose her because of some princesses I don't even care about."

Anne gave her brother a huge smile. "Go get her, tiger."

* * *

The sun was already setting when he arrived at the door of the bakery. Villagers were watching him with interest, wondering what the prince was doing out here so late. He knocked on the door with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, clearing his throat as his heart thudded in his chest. Footsteps were heard from behind the door, making him feel like his tongue was suddenly clogging his oesophagus.

The door swung open, revealing Astrid with a stained apron on and flour on her cheek. Her cheeks were pink probably from the heat of the oven, and her hair was up in her signature messy up-do. Neal cleared his throat twice before squeaking out, "Hi."

"Hi," she smiled. She bit her lower lip before opening the door wider. "Do you want to come in? I'm just finishing something."

The prince walked in, flowers still in his hand. She quickly went over to the stone oven and pulled out a tray of cookies. The smell made his mouth water. "Can I -?" he started, reaching out.

"No!" she exclaimed, making him recoil. She laughed. Neal silently offered a prayer to the gods for creating such a beautiful girl. "They're still hot. You might get burned." A beautiful _and sweet_ girl.

He nodded quietly before remembering the flowers. "Oh, right." He offered them to her shyly. "These are for you."

Her smile widened at the sight of roses. "How did you know?" she asked, getting them from him.

Neal shrugged, "I know things."

She just nodded happily before saying. "I'll go get water for them. Stay right there."

Astrid turned around before he mouthed to the ceiling, "I love you, Annie."

She disappeared to the back room while Neal looked around the bakery. They were already closing up, so the mouthwatering pastries and warm bread were already out of sight. Only the cookies on the tray remained and were tempting him. He was about to reach for one when she reappeared with the roses in a vase.

"These are lovely. Thank you so much," she said, a playful smile on her face.

He smiled before saying, "Listen. I came here to talk about what happened at the ball."

Slowly, the smile disappeared. She forced a weak one and said softly, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is. That look on your face says it all," he replied sadly, rounding the counter to stand in front of her. "Look, I… I really like you." Her eyes flashed up to him with hope. "I do. And I don't… I, um, those princesses mean nothing to me. I don't even know their names!"

She giggled. "It's true," he added. "And I don't want you to feel inferior to them. Because, Astrid, I invited you to come with me. Not them. I wanted you to have a wonderful night."

"I did," she insisted. "I really did. Thank you for inviting me."

He smiled, "I'm glad I did. You were the belle of the ball."

She bit her lower lip before answering, "And you say you aren't a charmer."

He shrugged, "Well, it is our family name."

"That's true," she laughed. Neal reached over to hold her hands before saying, "Are we good?"

She nodded, "We're good."

"Great," he smiled. She was looking at him as if she was waiting for something. He quickly thought about something and added, "Want to go on a picnic tomorrow?"

"Sounds good," she said quickly, but the hopeful expression she had on did not wane.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," he said with a slight chuckle. He gave her a kiss on the temple before grinning down at her. Her expression wavered. "Until tomorrow," he whispered.

"See you then..."

* * *

"You didn't kiss her?" Anne screamed after he told her everything.

"I did! Here!" he pointed to his temple.

Anne placed her hands on her face before groaning, "Why, Neal? Why are men so dense?"

"What did I do now?" he whined.

"She was waiting for you to kiss her! As in she wanted some lip action!" she explained before sighing. "If only you are as smart as you are handsome, the world will be a better place."

Neal grinned slyly, "Are you saying I'm handsome?"

"I'm saying you are an idiot," she deadpanned.

Her brother pouted at her. She sighed, "Come on. Let's go have dinner, and I will explain to you in explicit detail what you need to do tomorrow since you clearly cannot think on your own."

"This is why I love you, Annie."

"Given that I am obviously smarter than you, I think I should be first in line for the throne."

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding."

"No, you weren't."

"Of course, I wasn't."

He sighed. "I'll let you wear the crown after the coronation."

"Deal."

* * *

 **review!**


	16. Anne had an identity crisis

The problem with being the youngest in the family was being protected twenty-four hours a day. Technically, it was not a problem per se, but it was to Anne. Being the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, she was constantly burdening herself with the fact that she should be able to wield a sword or shoot an arrow perfectly, but the truth was she could do neither. She lacked the experience her whole family had. Growing up, she was constantly being fought for, being promised never to be in the midst of danger. But the truth was, she wanted to be. She wanted to be in danger because that way she could prove her worth of being the daughter of the two most courageous royals the kingdom has ever seen.

Of course, she had no plans on stepping out into the battlefield like her siblings, but she wanted to know if she was good enough to be considered her parents' daughter. Emma was the badass princess, Neal was going to be the next king, and what was she? The princess who stayed behind the castle walls all the time? The one who barely knows how to hold a sword properly let alone fight?

Anne sighed, placing her brush down angrily on the easel. She assessed her work for a moment before her fist suddenly punched a hole through the canvas. Her paintings don't even make sense anymore. She pulled her hands through and sighed as she sat back down on the stool. She gasped when she accidentally kicked one of the bottles, and red paint started to pool on the floor.

That was what she's good at. Everyone in the castle knew her as the rambunctious princess, running around the castle, causing havoc to everything in her wake. Her brother constantly being reprimanded for not keeping a close eye on her, when in fact it was her fault. At one point, she nearly injured her sister fatally after a wrong move at a sword-fight lesson. Everyone forgave her, but she had never fully forgiven herself. She nearly killed her own sister.

That was what she was good at. Havoc. Pure, unadulterated havoc.

Without a second thought, she marched out of her room, grabbing her cloak on the way out. She needed some fresh air. She did not even acknowledge the staff bowing down and greeting her as she fastened the latch of her cloak on her neck. When she got to the stables, she readied her horse before mounting her and steering her in the direction of the forest.

Anne did not know where she was heading exactly, but she knew she just needed to get away for a while. She knew the threats to her family applied to her as well, but she did not give a damn at the moment. As if she was needed around here anyway.

After a while, she found herself at the dwarf tavern. Whenever they were not needed back in the castle, the dwarfs went home to their humble cottage. She knew they were home. After securing her horse, she went to the door and knocked.

As usual, Grumpy answered the door. "Princess!" he grinned. Anne gave him a small smile and waved to the other five dwarfs sitting on the table, looking at her with interest. Doc was not present, due to the demands back in the infirmary.

"Hi, Annie!"

"Hi, everyone," she smiled.

"What are you doing here? Would you like to come in?" Grumpy, her godfather, asked.

Anne hesistated, "I, um, I actually wanted to talk to you."

Grumpy nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him. Anne walked over to the log in front of their cabin that was facing the trees. It was calm out here, and the sun and soft breeze made her smile. "So," Grumpy cleared his throat as he sat down beside her. "What's going on, Princess? Anyone bothering you?"

She was quiet for a moment, but Grumpy patiently waited for her to answer him. "Sometimes," she said softly. "Sometimes, I don't feel like I'm my parents' daughter."

Grumpy was quiet, making her wince. "That sounded wrong."

"Well, if you look at the mirror, I doubt you don't see your mother staring back at you, sister," he deadpanned. She smiled at his attempt to lighten up the mood. "I'm just messing with you."

When she did not say anything, he added. "Look, I get it. Your family… they all fight. You don't. You're the princess who stays at the castle, practicing ballet, doing the most insane paintings, and playing music."

Anne frowned. "Compared to fighting, that sounds boring."

"But it is what you love to do, isn't it?" Grumpy asked.

"Well, yeah -," she sighed. "But it isn't…it's not what people expect from the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White. I mean, come on…"

Grumpy shook his head. "You know, what people think is none of your business."

"That's easy for you to say," she shot back. "You're like a badass who doesn't care what anyone thinks."

Grumpy grinned. "You know what," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I fell in love once."

Anne's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You did?"

"Yup," he nodded. "She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my entire life, still is." Anne smiled. "Before I became Grumpy, I was Dreamy. I… I dreamed of traveling the world, and I wanted to do that with her. But instead, I listened to what other people said. Long story short, I broke her heart, and I've been Grumpy since then."

"Thing is, Annie," he added, turning to face her. "You are your own person, and that's what everyone loves about you. To be honest, you're like the peacemaker in your family."

She laughed aloud. "What? I am not a peacemaker. You know how clumsy I am, how destructive I get around people. I am so awkward. The only people I'm calm around are my family or when I'm alone." She paused, and then pointed to him, "Or when I'm with you guys."

He just smiled at her. "I'm like a hurricane, just obliterating everything in my wake," she said quietly. "I'm no princess. I can't even act royal in balls."

Grumpy chuckled. "Look at it this way. You are two sides of a coin. On one side, you're this adventurous young lady who's not afraid to speak her mind and do what she wants to do. On the other, you are this graceful, artistic princess who does the craziest, most painful ballet moves known to man and creates the best paintings and songs anyone could imagine. That's pretty badass, if you ask me."

Anne murmured, "You're just saying that because you're obligated to."

Her godfather shook his head. "You and I both know I'm not the compliment giver, sister." That made her smile. "And you might not know this, but you have this amazing ability to calm your parents down when you're around. Trust me, that is a gift, neither one of your siblings have that."

She stared at him, bewildered. "I calm them down?" He nodded. "I didn't know that."

"You do," he said. "because out of the three of you, you're the only one who willingly allows them to protect you. Emma and Neal always fight their own battles, because that's who they are. But you, you're the little girl who looks at them like they hung the moon. Snow and Charming see how much you depend on them to protect you, and I cannot tell you how happy that makes them feel."

"So, basically, I calm them down because I let them fight for me?" she asked.

He shrugged. "You remind them of who they are: heroes. Ever since you guys came into this world, they haven't done much saving-the-day stuff, you know. Your father's been buried in his kingly duties, and your poor mother has to keep up with every single one of you each day."

She pouted. He added, "It calms them down because they feel like they're themselves around you. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," Anne smiled before nodding. "Yeah, it does."

Grumpy grinned. "Well, then. I suppose you feel better now?"

"I do," she grinned back at him. "Thanks, Grumpy."

"Anytime, kiddo."

By the time she got back to the castle, the utter relief from the entire staff was palpable. According to them, the king was angrily lecturing every single guard in the castle for letting her out of their sight. The scene in her room was not exactly appealing to the royal couple, given that the canvas was punched through and there was red paint on the floor. Her poor mother nearly had a heart attack when she thought it was blood. Then she really started to panic when she realized her daughter might potentially be kidnapped.

Many explanations, lectures, and deliberations on her grounding rules later, Anne found herself tossing and turning in bed. She just could not sleep. What Grumpy told her warmed her heart, but her parents did not know exactly what transpired during her afternoon. To be honest, she'd rather have deep conversations with her godfather than her parents. She loved them so much, but the reality is they're suckers for heartwarming moments.

And those moments usually involve her bawling her eyes out rather than letting her worries out of her chest. She can't produce coherent sentences because of the uncontrollable crying. Then they'll comfort her and tell her they love her and all that jazz. So, yeah, she was thankful she was able to get her feelings out to her godfather that afternoon.

Pushing her covers away, she wore her slippers before padding her way down to the kitchen. Nothing like her mother's famous hot cocoa to warm her up and possibly knocks her out of her insomnia. She just finished putting in the cinnamon stick when her father entered the room. Crap. So much for not having the moment…

"Hey, sweetheart," he smiled. She looked up in his eyes, and instead of the stormy dark blue she saw earlier, she saw the loving blue she was accustomed to. She smiled. "Can't sleep?"

Anne shook her head before bringing her hot drink up to her lips. Her father went to the cupboard to retrieve a cookie from the jar. She raised an eyebrow at him to which he winked before taking a bite. "What your mother doesn't know won't hurt her."

She giggled. They were quiet for a moment, and then Anne pushed herself up to sit on the counter. Charming went over to stand beside her as he asked, "So, do you mind telling me what the teenage angst earlier was about?"

She gave him a look. "It was nothing," she answered, stirring the chocolate. "Normal, hormonal teenage girls."

"Really," he challenged, not convinced.

"Mhm," she replied before sipping her drink.

Charming looked at his daughter and smiled. She looked so young and carefree at that moment, making him think that whatever was bothering her earlier might have passed already. He went to another topic then. "I saw one of your paintings earlier today," he started. "It was really good, kiddo. I'm proud of you."

Anne's heart dropped, and tears pricked her eyes at the comment. She did not feel like paintings even mattered at all, they were all terrible through her eyes. Then her father picks the perfect time to tell her that he was proud of her work. Damn it, she did not want a moment!

"Thanks, Daddy," she whispered from behind her mug. Her father looked up at her curiously, then his features transformed to worry when he realized she was crying.

"Hey," he said softly, making more tears spring up at his tone. "Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Anne sniffed as she placed her mug down. She hastily wiped her eyes and let out a groan. "I was trying to escape the sob fest from earlier with Mom, and then you come in and tell me you're proud of me."

"Of course, I'm proud of you. I've always had been," he replied, placing a hand on her knee. "Annie, what's wrong?"

She sighed, "It's just that – I got mad earlier… at myself. Because I feel like – I just don't feel like your daughter sometimes." He looked at her in surprise. "You know, the whole fighting thing… I don't feel like I'm good enough to be called your daughter."

Before Charming could reply, she beat him to it. "I went to the forest to get some fresh air, but then I found myself at the dwarfs' cottage. Grumpy and I talked about it, what I was feeling and whatnot. All of you are badass, I'm not." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm just… me."

Charming felt his heart break a little at her tone. Anne was not the most expressive person in their family. She channeled most of her emotions through her work. Her father knew it would make her feel uncomfortable, but he had to tell her. "I love you, and your mother loves you just the way you are. I don't think of you as _just_ Annie. I see my beautiful, amazing daughter who can do anything she puts her mind into. I can't tell you enough how proud your mother and I are of you."

She gave him a teary smile. "Even though I'm not good at fighting like Emma and Neal?"

"Even though you're not good at fighting like Emma and Neal," he confirmed, chuckling. Placing a loving kiss on her forehead, he thought about something. He looked at her and asked, "And who told you that you aren't badass yourself?"

She sighed, "Dad, don't start."

"No," he said. "Be honest with me. Can you imagine Neal dancing ballet?"

The thought of her brother dancing made her giggle. Then she giggled some more because she had actually put him through the pain of learning ballet, but that was a story for another day. Charming smiled at her reaction before adding, "And can you imagine the agony Emma would feel sitting in front of an empty canvas?"

"She would flip," Anne laughed.

"See? And the fact that you can do both and play the piano? That's pretty badass to me," her father grinned, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

She smiled at him for a moment before throwing her arms around him. "I love you, Daddy."

Charming felt tears in his eyes as he hugged her back. "I love you, too, sweetheart."

When she pulled back, he squeezed her knee before finishing the rest of his cookie. Anne finished her hot cocoa, congratulating herself silently for pulling through the moment without shedding bucketful of tears. Charming was halfway out the door when he said, "Oh, before I forget." Anne looked at him questioningly. "Don't forget to say goodnight to the monster below the counter for me."

"Daddy!"


	17. Emma got married

**Emma and Killian's wedding! Charming family feels! Baelfire's return!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The soft glow of the chandelier never failed to give the ballroom a dim, romantic atmosphere. Padded footsteps tapped noiselessly on the linoleum floor, where every decoration was still scattered on. Tomorrow's going to be the big day. It was well-past midnight, and the workers have retired for the evening under the stern order of the eldest princess, who insisted that everyone should have a goodnight's rest before the event. They complied after promising they would wake up early to resume their tasks just in time for the celebration.

Princess Emma found herself walking around the grand room in her night robes, unable to capture a blink of sleep. The princess bit her lower lip as she played with the ring on her finger, silently praying her sister and mother won't take too long scolding her about skipping her much-needed beauty rest tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, technically later, was the grand wedding of Princess Emma and Captain Killian Jones. Although the princess was more than thrilled to finally marry the man of her dreams, the reality of leaving home suddenly dawned on her, making her push off the covers and make a final tour of the place she had called home for so many years.

She found herself sitting at the center of the room and taking everything in. She's getting married today. Her parents were more than happy when they received the news of her engagement. Her father was a bit hesitant, but she knew he approved of the captain. Emma was no doubt daddy's little girl, and he was still wrestling with the fact that she was getting married sooner than he planned. Technically, he never planned on giving her away, but he saw how in love they were.

A month ago, she and her father found themselves in the empty ballroom after her brother's birthday celebration.

"Daddy," Emma called, making him look up. She offered her hand with a tentative smile. "Dance with me?"

The look on her father's face took everything in her not to break down in a puddle of tears. Prince Charming, without a shadow of a doubt, loved his daughter. It was their thing, dancing her grandmother's waltz, and she knew that she would cry at the last father-daughter dance they would be having at the wedding. Charming smiled at her, taking her hand, with tears in his eyes.

Two weeks ago, Emma found herself alone with her mother as they went through the possible hairstyles for the bride-to-be. They both decided on a romantic look with her hair falling on the side of her neck and down her back. It would go perfectly with the lacy backless gown Emma was having. As Snow carefully practiced it with the princess's golden hair, Emma watched her from the reflection of the mirror. No one has ever beaten her mother in being the fairest of them all, even Annie, though they look exactly alike. There was just something about her mother.

And Emma knew just how lucky she was to have her. "I love you, Momma," she suddenly declared, making Snow look up in surprise.

Her mother had tears in her eyes as she smiled, "I love you, too, Emma."

A week ago, she and the dashing Prince Neal went out riding to the forest, just for old times' sake. She watched her brother laugh heartily at her jabs at his non-existent love life, wondering why she did not come home more often. "She'll come," Neal replied to her. "And when she does, I'm never going to let her go."

Emma just smiled at him, suddenly hoping they would go back to the time they snuck into the kitchen, barefoot, to bake their mother's birthday cake. How time flew. They were leisurely riding through the quiet forest when he suddenly said, "Emma?"

"Hmm?" she asked.

Neal glanced at her for a moment before he looked down, pretending to be busy with the reigns of his horse. "If he hurts you, you come straight home. You got that?"

Emma felt tears in her eyes as her heart warmed at his words. She smiled at him and nodded, "I'll miss you, too, Neal."

Yesterday, she watched Anne finish one of her masterpieces from the youngest royal's bed. Anne did not hear her come in, being too caught-up in her work. So when the princess turned around, she nearly fell off her stool in the process, "Holy – Emma! What the hell?"

"What? I can't surprise you now?" Emma challenged her sister with a grin.

Anne rolled her eyes, wiping her hands, "You can without having to give me a heart attack."

"It's part of the fun," Emma cheekily smiled. "That's beautiful." She beckoned towards the canvas. "Can I have it?"

Her sister fought off a smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But I already have a wedding gift for you."

"I want that, too," she pouted. "Please?"

"Fine," Anne smiled, rolling her eyes. "I know you're going to miss your favorite sister when you leave."

"You're my only sister."

"Exactly."

Emma laughed, shaking her head. That was what she was going to miss the most. The small moments of laughter, happy tears, and love she almost always had with her family. But she knows she'll make a thousand more with them in the years to come, because there was no way in all the realms she was not going to visit all the time.

* * *

The thing about being the center of attention in an event usually felt like walking on air. There are so much happening at once, so many people to greet, and so many traditions to uphold. It was a miracle that Emma was able to stay upright in her heels for so long. The things she does for Killian, really. But the fair-headed princess could not be happier. Everything went without a hitch.

There was not a dry eye in the cathedral when they said their vows. It was Emma's dream come true, to get married where her parents got married. For her, it symbolized the strengthening of the love her parents had for each other through the years, and she desperately hoped that she and Killian would be the same. Well, nobody can really top Snow and Charming's love, but they would certainly try.

At the reception in the beautifully decorated ballroom, music was light, food was passed around, and guests were mingling blissfully. Emma giggled as Neal twirled her around for the umpteenth time, determined to make her dizzy. Her brother placed his hand back on her waist before he said quite vaguely. "Someone asked me if I could help him get a dance with you earlier. Said he wanted to talk to you."

Emma looked at him with questioning eyes. "Do you know who he is?"

"No," he admitted. "But he seemed genuine. He looked too kind to even think about making a pass on a married woman." Emma blushed. Neal beckoned towards the end of the room where a man was standing with his hands in his pockets. Emma regarded him curiously. "That's him."

Emma hummed. "Quite certain that I've never seen him before."

Neal shrugged. "You might have. So, should I tell him to piss off or…?"

"You can tell him, it's all right," the princess smiled. "I'm pretty sure there are enough protective men around to gang up on him when he does something moronic."

The prince grinned, releasing her from his hold. "All right. I'll go get him."

Emma watched her brother walk over and talk to the man. The man's face brightened up at his words, looking over at her. She found herself smiling as he shook her brother's hand before walking towards her. When he stood in front of her, he gave a long bow, "Your highness."

She gave him a curtsy before he got his arms around her. They were quiet for a few moments before he started after clearing his throat, "How are you, princess? It seems quite the celebration."

"I'm all right," she answered. "A bit tired, but I'll manage." He grinned at her answer before nodding. He seemed so genuinely happy that he was actually conversing with her.

"Well, I want to personally offer my congratulations to the couple, I mean, half of the couple. It would seem like this is the wedding of the century," he commented.

Emma laughed, making him smile. "Compared to my parents' wedding, I doubt it is."

"Oh come on," he chided. "At least this doesn't have an evil queen interrupting the ceremony and threatening everyone with a supposed curse."

The princess rolled her eyes, but a smile was still on her lips. "I suppose so. But nobody can really beat my mother's beauty."

He smiled. "I can't argue with that, but you look pretty stunning in that white dress."

Emma bit her lower lip and looked down, trying to find the tips of her shoes. She'd never really known how to respond to compliments and rarely ever danced with strangers before. He was quiet for a moment, making the air awkward. She never liked awkward silences. She cleared her throat, about to say something, when he beat her to it.

"You don't remember me, do you?" he asked softly.

The princess looked up at him in surprise. "Uh… am – am I supposed to?"

The sadness in his eyes was not covered by his smile. "Well, I hoped you did, but I guess fourteen years _is_ really a long time."

"Fourteen years?" she echoed. She looked up into his eyes, still bewildered. "I don't -." She trailed off, realizing the familiarity of him. His warm brown eyes triggered the memory of laughter by the river, making her heart drop. She stepped back with a loud gasp.

Emma felt everything crashing down on her. The hurt, the betrayal, the years she mourned for this boy suddenly rushed forward, sending tears in her eyes. She took another step back, knocking into a waiter passing flutes of champagne around. The sudden shattering of glass shocked the entire room, making everyone silent. But Emma's teary eyes stayed glued to the face of the man who she regarded as her best friend a long time ago.

Baelfire stepped forward. "Emma, I – I can explain."

"Emma? Emma, what's going on?" Killian's voice was suddenly beside her. She felt his hand on her back, but she stayed frozen. "What did you do to her?" he snarled at Baelfire. The newcomer looked at a loss for words as her husband repeated quite loudly, "What did you do to her?"

"Killian," she whispered, pulling his arm back. Killian looked at her with concern. "It's okay," she shook her head with a smile. "I'm fine. I just…" She looked around and saw the people watching them. "I…" She let out a small whimper before gathering the front of her skirt and sprinting out of the ballroom.

* * *

Commitment became one of Emma's greatest fears after Baelfire left. Most, if not all of the time, she preferred to be alone. The only constant people in her life were her family, by blood or by choice, and she was more than happy to have them. For her, they were enough. They were stable, and they were not going anywhere. Nobody was leaving anybody. When she joined the army, she realized the high risks involved. She needed to open herself up to her team, a lesson she learned after quite a painful experience. Because when you're in battle, you need all the help you can get. She knew that now. That was when she realized having friends was not as bad as she ought it to be.

Killian was meant to be a friend, no more no less. It took her quite some time to realize she had feelings for the boy, which the latter should be given a reward for the patience he had. All the more to reward Killian when she suddenly became withdrawn in their friendship, making him confused and scared that their relationship might end badly. Everything worked out in the end, after he comforted her and proved to her just how much she meant to him and that he was not going anywhere. As far as she was concerned, Killian knew nothing of Baelfire.

Until now.

After all, she could hear them arguing with Charming in the throne room, which was quite a feat considering she was out in the gardens still in shock that the person she regarded her best friend all those years ago was suddenly back in her life.

And what pissed her off more was that he chose, of all days, her wedding to show up.

"Pretty sure your father's going to pop a vein in that pretty head of his." Emma jumped at the sudden intrusion, turning to face her mother who had a sheepish look on her face. "Sorry, baby, I did not mean to startle you."

Emma smiled at her wanly. "Hi, Momma."

Snow let out a soft sigh as she sat down carefully on the bench beside her daughter. "Annie and Neal are taking care of things back in the ballroom. The guests are still a bit shocked about the recent events, but it's nothing to worry about," she reported.

The princess was quiet for a moment before realization dawned on her. She let out a small giggle, "You know what I think, Mom?"

"What?" Snow asked slowly, a bit afraid she might throw a fit.

Emma sniffed before looking at her with amusement. "Weddings in our family are cursed."

Snow blinked as her daughter's words processed in her mind, and then she laughed, the joyous, carefree laugh that Emma loved so much. "Well," she said, after calming down a little. "I'm quite sorry for setting the trend, darling. I didn't plan for it to be tradition."

Emma giggled, playing with her rings. "It's all right, Mom. It's one of the things that make our family special." She winked, making Snow smile at her warmly.

They were quiet for a moment, realizing that the fighting from the throne room had ceased. "What do you think is happening in there, Mom?" she asked.

"I don't know honestly." Snow stood up as graceful as ever. Emma smiled, looking at her mom who looked quite awesome in all her regal glory. It would seem like she did not even sweat in her stunning red ball gown. Emma was more than ready to take off her wedding gown, but the thought of Killian doing that later tonight made her keep it on for now. Damn that man for making her think of such thoughts…

Her mother's hand was outstretched in an offer to help her up. "Come on, let's see what damage our men got themselves into."

* * *

Much to the princess's surprise, her father and husband let Baelfire and her go and talk out on the ballroom's balcony. Baelfire must have proven something to them to make those two stubborn men give into his wishes. When she and Snow arrived, the three were quiet, as if in contemplation on what to do. Baelfire brightened up at the sight of her, which did not go unnoticed by Killian whose expression darkened almost immediately. Charming looked exhausted, making Emma feel bad for her father. As if he had not been through enough for the day.

"I got to hand it to him, Emma," Baelfire started as they looked out to the open waters from the balcony. The night air was chilly but calm, and the sound of soft waves relaxed their jittery nerves. Emma had no doubts her parents and her husband were watching them from inside the room. "Killian's quite protective of you."

Emma let out a humorless chuckle. "Oh, you have no idea. There was one time we fought because _I saved his life_." She sighed, shaking her head. "That man is going to be the death of me someday."

He chuckled at her tone, making her bite her lower lip. She rested her hands onto the railing before asking softly, "Why are you here, Baelfire?"

Baelfire let out a long sigh, as if readying himself. "Honestly, I have no idea."

The princess looked at him curiously. "Because I – the last thing I've heard of you is that you're in another realm."

"I know, and I was," he answered her. "One moment I was walking down the streets of New York City, the next I found myself at the entrance of the castle with an invitation on hand. It was too much to take in for a moment…" he gave her a teasing grin. "So I'm sorry I was late to the wedding."

Emma laughed a little. "It's all right. Honestly, I did not know if you were going to make it." She nudged him a bit, making him chuckle. It was something she used to do whenever she teased him back when they were kids. God, how he missed her.

On the other hand, after Emma did that, she was hit quite forcefully by nostalgia. The sound of children's laughter by the running river sounded in her head, sending tears to her eyes. It seemed like a lifetime ago. The man standing in front of her was her best friend, her first crush, her first kiss, and now he was here. He was finally here after years of her missing him. Baelfire noticed the tears pooling in her eyes, making him turn to face her. "Hey."

She shook her head, tilting her head back to keep her tears at bay. "You have no idea," she said softly, closing her eyes. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

"Emma," he whispered before gathering her into his arms. The waterworks started almost immediately, and she did not even care about ruining her make up. "It's okay."

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, clutching onto him. "I'm so sorry for everything, for leaving you there. I was selfish."

"You were hurt," he murmured, pulling back. She sniffed as he wiped the tearstains from her cheeks. "I'm sorry for leaving you, Emma. If I had known my father would betray me like that, I -."

"No," she interrupted. "You wouldn't have known, and it doesn't matter anymore. You're here." She smiled up at him. "You're here."

"And I will always be here," he smiled. "Whenever you need me. If you need me to talk sense into Killian, I'll be there."

Emma laughed, hugging him again. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too. I promise you. This time, I am not going anywhere."

* * *

 **Reviews make me happy!**


	18. Charming surprised Snow

**First of all, have you guys seen the D23 OUaT panel? If you haven't, I strongly suggest you do because my inner fangirl just can't get over the amount of Gosh moments that transpired on that stage.**

 **Feels.**

 **All right. So here's a cute Snowing one-shot! I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

In Snow White's opinion, sunsets never failed to look picture perfect. Her father used to tell her when she was younger how they make it seem like everyday was a good day, given it had such a beautiful ending. Snow found herself sitting on the edge of a cliff, watching the calm waters below her and enjoying the warmth of the sun on her beautiful face. It was kind of odd that she preferred the summer rather than the winter given her name. But then, the reality is that summer kept her alive and moving, while winter seemed like an endless torture.

Her feet were dangling over a thousand feet drop. If a black knight were to strike anytime, a gentle push would easily send her towards her death. However, at that moment, she did not give a damn. Her mind was somewhere else. From where she was sitting, she had the perfect view of her castle on her left. More importantly, she had the perfect view of the huge windows of the west wing.

There was no doubt that the princess's favorite room in the castle aside from the kitchen was the ballroom. The kitchen meant hot cocoa, something she would give anything to have right now. Anyway, the ballroom. Every memory she had in that room was of wonder and laughter: the sparkling chandeliers, colorful dresses, sumptuous food, and most of all, the royal dances. The grandeur of the wide space never failed to take her breath away every time she set foot inside. The high ceilings filled with intricate chandeliers, the walls carved and laden with gold, and the huge windows that opened the entire west wall.

When she was young, she often found herself in that room, enjoying the quietness of the vast area. She would sing a tune her mother taught her and dance to herself. Whenever her father would catch her there, he would dance with her. He would twirl her around, tell the most impossible tales, and laugh with her. Sometimes, her mother joined them, and she would sit on the cold floor and watch them dance. It felt like a dream.

Snow suddenly found herself humming her mother's song. She closed her eyes and imagined how her mother's dress moves as her father twirled her around the room. She remembered her mother's giggle and her father's chuckle as they whisper to one another. She remembered wondering what it would feel like if her own prince were to dance with her and look at her the way her father did at her mother.

Not long after, she stood up and started to twirl slowly, missing the elegant dresses she used to wear. She hummed and watched her feet move, wary that she was still near a cliff. However, part of her just wanted to dance for a moment, to hopefully feel like the princess she once was just for a brief moment.

One thing she did not know, however, was that someone was watching her from behind the trees. Prince James felt his heart stop at the sight of her. She was even more beautiful than the first time he set eyes on her. She looked radiant, and the setting sun seemed to hit her perfectly. She looked like an angel. The prince smiled to himself when he heard her humming.

He so desperately wanted to go over and dance with her in his arms, but he held himself back. One wrong move, she might lose her footing and fall off the cliff. Part of him wanted to scold her for being so reckless, but she looked so young, so carefree. It was a side of her that he did not see during their first adventure together.

Would she stop if he were to come up to her suddenly?

Oh, what the hell.

The moment she turned her back towards him, James stepped forward and placed his hands on her hips. Her singing stopped. She stiffened and looked up at her captor. Her eyes registered surprise when she realized it was him. James took her hand, twirled her out, and then pulled her back in. They were now facing each other, and James felt like he could not breathe. Her hands were on his chest, and his were on her hips. Her lips were parted slightly as she looked up into his eyes.

"You're not supposed to be here," she whispered.

"I know," he murmured. He pulled her closer, making her stop breathing all together. "I just want a dance, Snow White."

Her lips curled up into a smile. "Last time I checked, you don't know how to dance, James," she teased. When her words registered in his mind, he realized that she had met the real prince before. She placed her hand on his shoulder as he moved his onto her back. He gently took her other hand, intertwining their fingers together. He grinned when she bit her lower lip at his gesture. "You just copied what everyone else was doing."

"I never did like uncomfortable royal dances," he answered as she looked up at him. Her insides melted at the sight of his smile. "But my mother did teach me a thing or two."

Snow raised her eyebrow at that, knowing that King George's queen had passed a long time ago. "Really?" she challenged teasingly.

"Really," he smiled.

Before Snow could question him further, he pulled her into a waltz. His footwork was flawless much to the princess's surprise, knowing full well how James used to dance before. He twirled her around and suddenly disappeared from her line of vision. She looked around before her hands were brought up by his from behind her. He twirled her around so that she was facing him as their hands went down to their sides, palms pressed together.

The couple spun together slowly before they placed their hands back on their original positions. His kindness when they first meant had already set doubts in Snow of his true identity, but now his easy smile and that dance just proved that he certainly was not James. However, she did not feel the need to question him. He was not James, and thank God for that. He was her Charming. Snow grinned, "Who knew Prince Charming could dance?"

Charming shrugged with a small smirk. "I've fooled a lot of people."

She let out a gasp when he suddenly dipped her. His strong arm was supporting her back as she fell backwards. The sun disappearing in the horizon was the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes in content. Charming gulped as he saw the smooth skin of her neck, suddenly wondering where her weak spot might be. Slowly, he pulled her back upright. Her eyes were still closed, but she had a serene smile on her lips.

He pressed his forehead against hers, waiting. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she looked dazed. "Charming," she whispered, her hand sliding down to his chest while the other was still clutched in his. His heart thudded at the moniker, and she felt it underneath her hand. Her eyes looked up at his in delighted surprise.

She had no idea… the effect her had on him.

He just had to see her, to remind himself that there was still something good in his new life. "Oh, Snow," he whispered.

A blushed colored her cheeks at how reverently he spoke of her name. Her eyes lowered down to his lips, wondering what it would feel like to be kissed by him. She grinned teasingly, leaning dangerously close, "Charming."

He let out a low chuckle, placing his hand against her cheek. He sighed softly when their eyes met, "You have no idea how beautiful you are."

Oh, how she wanted him. She desperately wanted to hear him say he'll run away with her, stay by her side despite the odds, be with her forever. She wanted to hear him say that he was in love with her, just as she was with him. She wanted his lips pressed against hers. She just wanted him.

When she did not say anything, he cleared his throat before saying, "I came here to tell you something."

The way he looked at her with those eyes made her weak in the knees. They both knew this was wrong. He was engaged to Princess Abigail, someone who was stable and not on the run. But how come them together felt so right?

"What?" she whispered, dazed.

Charming gulped, scanning her face before settling at her eyes. "I can't get you out of my head, Snow." She held her breath as he continued. "From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were different. You're strong and brave. No matter how high your walls are right now, you care. Despite the fact that you tried to kill me multiple times." She let out a small smile. "The thing is I… I didn't feel this way when I met Abigail. And when you tried my mother's ring…" her eyes snapped up at his. "It clicked."

Her heart started to race. She whispered, "W – what are you trying to say?"

"I think I'm in love with you."

Hope blossomed from her chest. She let out a breathy laugh as a tear slid down her cheek. She placed her hand on the side of his face as she answered, "I'm in love with you, too."

The sheer look of love brightened his face and the sparkle in his eyes took her breath away. Charming leaned forward, and Snow barely had time to compose herself before he captured her lips with his. The kiss was urgent and passionate, sending Snow's heart into frenzy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as his arms tightened around her.

After he pulled back, he brushed her hair away from her face, smiling. She looked dazed. She looked _kissed_. He cupped her face in his hands, giving her a soft peck before saying, "I love you. No matter what happens, Snow. Always remember that. I love _you_."

Snow beamed at him. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that," she admitted softly, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist.

"And I'll never get tired of saying it," he grinned before kissing her forehead.

Suddenly, her smile turned into a frown. He became worried. "What's wrong?"

Horses' hooves sounded from the forest, answering his question. Charming immediately reached over and pulled her hood over her head to protect her. Snow started to pull him towards the dense bushes, but he stayed put. "I'll distract them. You go hide," he ordered.

"No!" she gasped, louder than she intended. The thought of not seeing him again frightened her. "No, I'm not leaving you." The sound was getting nearer.

"Go," he said, giving her a quick kiss. "I'll find you. I promise."

She felt her heart sinking at the thought of having to wait to see him again. "I love you," she said before disappearing into the trees. It was not long before King George's men found him, saying that the king sent them to find him. From the look on their faces, the king was not pleased at his sudden disappearance.

The prince did not care at all. He tried to keep the smile off his face as they brought him back to the castle he considered his prison. The fact that his true love was out there and knew that he loved her was good enough for him. He will find her again soon.

He looked down at his pocket where his mother's ring felt like it was burning a hole through his trousers. He will find her. When he does, he will ask her to marry him.

* * *

 **Thoughts? Comments? Violent reactions?**

 **Review!**


	19. Anne met Mateo

**Mateo is based on Jirka Vaatainen's drawing of Prince Eric. One of the best works I've ever seen! You guys should really check it out if you still haven't!**

 **I hope you enjoy this one-shot!**

* * *

Love was something Anne had seen her entire life. With Snow White and Prince Charming as her parents, it is quite difficult _not_ to catch them looking at each other with lovey-dovey eyes or to pretend to not look when they share a quick kiss. Ever since she could remember, Emma found her true love in Killian. They may be a bit subtler than her parents, but there were moments where Anne had seen them in quite questionable circumstances. Emma just had too much blackmail on her so she had to be extra careful not to say anything to anyone. Neal, on the other hand, seemed to be quite satisfied with his bad boy, no commitments shenanigans. Bless him. Anne rather not experience having the pressure of not having a partner.

Anne had a theory. The moment you don't plan on something to happen is the moment it does happen. When her love life was to start, she hoped that it would be because it was time, not because she was pressured to find someone to love. That would be quite tragic if the latter were to happen.

Also, to be quite honest, she was fine being single. It meant more time to do what she loves: explore places, read old books, annoy Neal. She was eighteen, happy, and free. However, all that was about to change when the entire royal family was invited over to the kingdom of King Eric and Queen Ariel for a two-day festival. Her parents were thrilled, having not seen their friends for a long time. Emma, unfortunately, cannot come, given that she was still out at sea with Killian. Neal had no choice but to comply under the stern look Snow gave him. Anne had nothing better to do.

When they arrived, Anne was more than happy to jump out of the stuffy carriage and breathe some fresh air. They were whisked to the guest rooms in no time, given that the celebration was about to start. Of course, the more time pressured they were, the later the princess was going to be. Her brother left first, declaring that he saw some of the freshest seafood earlier and was not going to let that pass him by. Her parents left after waiting for half an hour, saying that they would meet her at the town square instead. Anne was kind of dismayed but relieved as well. She hated being waited for. She assessed her reflection on the mirror and thought, 'Well, I'm late anyway. Might as well make the most out of it.'

Anne felt quite beautiful in her simple white dress with her long, dark hair in a side braid cascading down from her right shoulder. She placed the diamond-embedded hairpiece her mother chose for her into the dark tresses before slipping on her white heels.

The festival was held at the town square. The princess was holding the side of her long skirt as to not step on it as she walked through the crowds. The square was packed with people, making it hard for her to spot where her parents were standing. The music was loud, too, and the people were shouting and laughing at each other to be heard. She was too busy looking for her parents that she did not realize where she was walking. Something, or rather someone, bumped into her quite harshly, sending her backwards. A hand grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "Watch where you're –."

If you asked her if she believed in love at first sight before that moment, she would've laughed at your face and told you to go talk to her parents instead, given her lack of knowledge in that particular field. His sea-green eyes were the first ones she saw when she looked up at him. His jet black hair was combed in a way that is both neat and casual, his white tunic looked crisp against his tan skin, and his smile showed a perfect set of pearly white teeth. He was kind of perfect. Anne made sure her mouth was closed. "I am so sorry," he told her, still holding her arm. "Are you okay?"

 _Yes, I love you._ Anne stuttered, "Uh, yeah, I – I'm fine. I wasn't looking – and –."

She looked up at him shyly, noticing that he was still smiling down at her. He came closer to be heard, and Anne felt faint at the scent of his perfume. How can someone smell so good? "Are you lost? I can help you find who you're looking for."

"That'd be great," she replied with a hopeful smile. "I did not expect the festival to have so many people."

He chuckled. Anne doubted that she had ever heard something as sexy as that. "Ah, you're new here," he observed. He regarded her for a moment before saying, "Are you sure you want to go find them? Or would you rather have a local show you how to have some real fun?"

The princess looked at him in surprise. "My parents would not be too happy," she answered slowly. His smile faltered at her words. She quickly added with a teasing tone, "But how do I know you're not a serial killer who is going to kidnap me and throw me to the bottom of the ocean?"

He laughed in delight. Anne grinned to herself in triumph and gave herself a mental pat on the back. "There is always that possibility," he replied after a while. "Well, you can have my name. So that you know who to blame when you survive the attempted murder via seawater."

Anne bit her lower lip from smiling as she pretended to think about it seriously. "I suppose that's fair."

The music got louder, if that was even possible. He leaned towards her ear, offering his hand before saying, "Mateo."

"Mateo," she echoed with a smile, shaking his hand. "I'm Anne. People call me Annie."

"Annie, it is," he grinned.

* * *

The festival had to be one of the best events she had ever been to, and she made a mental note to convince her parents to hold one just like it back in their kingdom. Mateo, she found out, was the prince, son of King Eric and Queen Ariel. He did not tell her directly, and he seemed quite disappointed when she found out. The people in the stalls they visited all bowed to him and greeted him as royalty. He looked at her in embarrassment, not knowing that she herself was a princess. "I hope this doesn't make things awkward."

"Not at all," she smiled at him, playing with the rings in her hand. He tossed his last one and sighed when none of the bottles caught his rings. He stepped back beside her and gestured for her to take his place. "Your turn, milady," he teased.

Anne shook her head at his antics, but she could not help but smile at how cute he was. He was not like any of the princes she'd met before. Mateo was down-to-earth and seemed like the kind of guy who was always ready to have some fun. The princess looked at the task before her, which was to toss the rings towards the bottles lined up in a distance. She had five rings on hand, and if she got them all, her price was a beautiful pearl necklace. Not that she was expecting it or anything, but she kind of wanted to win it so that Mateo might potentially be the one to help her put it on.

One.

Plink!

"Nice!" he exclaimed as the ring settled around the bottleneck.

Anne let out a small sigh to release her nerves before throwing the next one.

Plink!

"Wow, you're really good at this," he praised as he crossed his arms. Anne glanced at him and saw his stunning smile directed towards her. She willed herself to calm down.

Plink!

Plink!

"One more, miss!" the attendant of the stall announced with an excited smile.

Plunk!

"Damn it!" she cursed before covering her mouth in surprise. Mateo burst out laughing at her words, and Anne felt her cheeks flame up in embarrassment. It was unbecoming of a lady to curse, especially in front of a man. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted, "Not funny, Mateo."

Willing himself to calm down, Mateo grinned at her before handing over a silver coin to the attendant. "For the necklace, Seth." Seth nodded, going over to get the necklace from the case.

"What – No, Mateo," she protested, shaking her head at the transaction. Mateo held it up for her once he got it. "Ugh, Mateo. Give it back. It's okay, besides I didn't win it."

"Who said I'm giving it to you?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I -," she stammered, cheeks flaming up again. Mateo chuckled at her expression before turning her around. Anne saw the attendant looking at them with an amused expression on his face. Before she could realize what was happening, the cold chain was against the skin of her neck. Anne bit her lower lip, trying to placate her racing heart. "There you go," he said softly after the latch caught.

"Thanks."

* * *

"You have to try it!"

"Uh, no, I don't."

"You have to! It's tradition!"

"I am not from here!"

"All the more reason to try it then!"

"Jesus, you're more annoying than my brother! And that is saying something."

"I'm not Jesus, I'm Mateo."

"…"

"What?"

"That was such a dad joke."

"Come on, just try it."

"I can't believe I'm friends with a guy who's trying to perfect the art of the dad joke."

"It was not even a joke!"

"Oh my God, it's still moving!"

"No, it's not!"

"Mateo, I am not going to eat an _urchin_. Isn't your mother against these kinds of things?"

"That is why this stall's hidden."

"Oh my God, this is illegal?"

"Well – technically, yeah, but –."

"Okay, I'm leaving."

* * *

After the whole urchin fiasco, Anne really did not want to eat anything that the prince was offering to her, but she was really fascinated with the pink clouds on a stick she kept seeing around. Mateo laughed when she called it that, saying, "It's called Cotton Candy. We have a machine that can make them, and they usually vary in color. Come with me."

Then he held her hand. Anne felt her blush creeping up to her cheeks and silently thanked to gods above that Mateo was not looking her way. He guided her through the crowd, and later they found themselves in front of the cotton candy making machine that was making too much noise. It looked odd to Anne, but it did produce the pink cloud she wanted so it was okay.

"So, how is it?" he asked, pulling a portion for himself.

Anne nodded as the cloud melted in her mouth. "It's not bad. A bit weird in the mouth though, but it's all right."

He grinned at her before he looked at something behind her. Anne noticed that the music shifted into something along a folk tune that made him pull her with him towards the direction of the dance floor. "Hey, what's -," she stopped when she saw that he wanted them to join the throng of people dancing. "Oh, no. No, no, no. I do not dance."

"Neither do I! Just follow them," Mateo explained with an excited expression on his face. Before she could comprehend the situation, her candy was taken away, and she was whisked away by a random stranger into a fast-paced dance. The prince laughed at her direction before he himself was carried away with the crowd. Anne was busy looking at her feet that the stranger told her, "Just go with it! Don't think!"

The song was catchy, and the dance required the women being passed from one partner to the other. After a while, Anne got the hang of it and found herself actually enjoying it. It was different from the slow ball dances she was used to, and it was a nice change. Claps and cheers accompanied the dance, making her giggle. One of her partners twirled her around before she was passed to the other.

The dance and song was coming to a close, she noticed, so she looked around for Mateo. He was still on the other side, but he was coming closer. Anne closed her eyes for a moment, just feeling the beat around her and her heels tapping against stone floor. The song was about to finish. In three…two…one…

She opened her eyes and found herself in his arms.

"Hi," he murmured.

"Hi," she said shyly.

He looked into her eyes for a moment before glancing down at her lips, making her feel faint. Claps and cheers around them seemed to fade into nothing, and all she could see was Mateo. _So, t_ _his is what Emma and Mom were talking about,_ she thought to herself. But before anything could happen, his expression changed, and he asked her, "Do you like cupcakes?"

* * *

"Are you trying to get me fat so that I'll sink faster to the bottom of the ocean?"

Mateo nearly spat out his cupcake as he laughed at her question. "Have I not convinced you enough that I am not a serial killer? I thought we were starting to get along."

Anne shrugged before finishing her last piece of cupcake. "I mean, we are sitting on the edge of the dock. One little push, and I'll be gone from your life."

He smiled at her. "What if I don't want you to be?"

The princess tried to hide her smile as she looked down at her feet dangling above the seawater. "So, Annie," he started. "I haven't really heard much about your story. It seems quite unfair, given you know about mine."

"All I know is that you're Mateo, you're a local here, and you happen to be the prince," she pointed out.

Mateo chuckled. "That's true. However, that's more than what I know about you."

She sighed exaggeratedly, making him grin. "All right, if you insist." She let out a huff before looking at him. He watched her with interest. "I'm the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White."

He looked surprised. "So you're a princess?"

"Yup."

"Wow," he said. "Well, that makes things so much easier then."

"What do you mean?"

He gave her a mysterious smile. "Nothing. Anyway, so that's why you look so familiar. You look like Snow White."

"She is my mother."

He chuckled. "She comes here all the time with your father back when my sister and I were just kids."

"You have a sister?"

"Yeah, Melody. She's…cool."

"You two aren't close?"

"We're all right," he replied. "She's sort of the favorite, given that she's the one who's all prim and proper. She's more into singing and music. I'm more of the rambunctious type, getting into more trouble than I intend to most of the time."

She giggled. "Well, I guess, we both have something in common."

His eyes twinkled. "Really?"

She decided to push a little. "Don't let my beauty fool you, prince."

Mateo smiled at her, as if treating her words as the truth. "I'll try."

* * *

"Today has been fun, Mateo." Anne told him as they approached the last step of the east wing. The east wing was where all the guest rooms were, and Mateo was walking her to their door. The princess felt like she was walking on air. Not only did she spend the day with the most handsome person she'd ever met, but also he even walked her to the door. If this was what a date felt like, she can't wait to experience more. Hopefully with Mateo.

He smiled at her and turned to her when they reached their destination. "It was a pleasure showing you around today, princess," he replied before placing a kiss on the back of her hand. Anne felt like her heart stopped. "I guess, I'll be seeing you at the banquet tomorrow then?"

"Y – yeah," she squeaked out, trying not to notice that he has still not let go of her hand.

"All right," he smiled. "I'll see you then."

The door suddenly opened, making them jump apart. King James stood in front of them with his hands on his hips. Anne looked at Mateo and was surprised how composed he looked. Most people cowered at the sight of her father's impending wrath. "Where have you been?" he asked Annie.

"Dad, I – I," Anne stammered.

"I apologize, sir." Mateo stepped in, making Anne bite her tongue. _Don't mess this up, Mateo._ "I bumped into Annie earlier and have been showing her around all day. We did not realize the time, and I am very sorry for keeping her and for worrying you of her whereabouts."

Prince Charming looked surprised. "A – Apology accepted," he replied before crossing his arms. "What's your name, young man?"

"Mateo, sir," he answered quickly.

"Well, then, Mateo. I bid you goodnight," Charming said, insinuating his dismissal. Mateo immediately got the hint and gave him a curt bow. "Goodnight, Sir."

He turned to Anne with a small smile. "Goodnight."

"Night," she said softly.

They watched him walk away towards the staircase before Charming cleared his throat. "So, should I start sharpening my sword?"

"Daddy, please."

* * *

 **Nothing like love and a little protective daddy Charming.**


	20. Snippets!

**Author's Note:** Just some drabbles. Hope you enjoy them!

Also, please please give my new story, Enigma, a chance! It's Snowing AU with hints of mystery, romance, and drama!

* * *

I. Neal and Annie

"This is all your fault."

"How the hell is this my fault?"

"If we took the other route, we would not be in this situation right now."

"Well, excuse me for demanding an escapade to see a _sunrise on a cliff_."

"I needed inspiration."

"Your balcony faces the east!"

"It is not the same, and you know it."

Neal let out a sigh of frustration. "I swear to God, Annie. I've had enough with saving your ass. The amount of death threats I've received from Dad over the years is enough to last a lifetime."

"Hey, quiet back there!" the black knight, who was on the horse pulling their prison, ordered harshly. The two royals looked at each other for a moment. Neal saw fear in Annie's eyes, making him sigh and put an arm around his sister.

"We're going to be fine," Neal comforted her."

"How are you so sure? Mom and Dad have no idea we were even out of the castle walls, not to mention Emma's not around to save us. I don't know how to wield a sword or shoot an arrow."

Her brother gave her a small smile. "Because I'm here," he told her. "And we both know I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

* * *

II. Snow and Charming

King James found himself restless in another meeting with the administrators and advisors. They were reiterating what he already knew.

Ever since Zelena's unwelcomed attack in the Enchanted Forest, people have been wary of the constant threats they were in the receiving end of. Regina was nowhere to be seen, and Rumpelstiltskin was laying low for the moment. Still, peaceful days seemed to be out of reach. Even though the two were missing in action, Zelena came to spur the kingdom into chaos again.

However, her stay was brief since she realized she was wasting her time finding her sister there. Now, people have been seeking the help of the monarchs to provide them with shelter, food, and medication. But even after placating their requests, they expressed their wariness about the next time they would be hit by another powerful being.

"I suggest that we seek the magic of the Dark One, your majesty," one of the advisors said. "He may provide us with a protection spell that may spare the kingdom a great deal of tragedy."

"That may be, but magic always comes with a price," the king answered quietly with his temple resting on his knuckles, insinuating his frustration. "Quite frankly, I am not in the business of making deals with him anymore. I've got a family to protect."

"So do the people, my king," another replied patiently. "What choice do we have rather than to battle magic with magic?"

The king sighed, sitting into an upright position." All right, give me a few days to think about this. In the mean time, please do see to it that the last of the damage be repaired immediately –."

The doors suddenly opened, revealing Snow in a stunning white ensemble. Her bump barely showed, but the thought of her carrying his child still felt surreal to Charming. All of the people in the room rose to pay their respect to the queen, but Charming just raised an amused eyebrow at her, "Yes, my dear?"

"Gentlemen," Snow greeted sweetly. "You will have to excuse my husband for a moment. I believe that today is designated to be his day-off?"

The administrators were surprised. "I – we're sorry, your majesty," one said, bowing to James. "We did not realize we've –."

"No, there is no problem," he insisted, giving Snow a slight glare. She shrugged with a small smile. "Besides, we have a lot of issues to tackle. Snow, we really need –."

"Gentlemen, would you excuse me and James for a moment?" she interrupted, making Charming sigh. Everyone obeyed immediately, and the couple found themselves alone not long after.

"I told you, I'm okay," Charming started, making Snow shake her head. She went over and sat down on his lap.

"You," she said before kissing him briefly. "You are one stubborn king." She felt his forehead before resting her hands on his cheeks. "And you're burning up," she sighed.

He smirked, shrugging, "What can I say? Hotness is very becoming of a king."

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're jealous."

She looked appalled. "Jealous of who?"

"Jealous of the administrators I've been spending too much time with," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Snow pulled him up to his feet, sighing.

"You are such a dork."

"But I am your dork," he quipped, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Unfortunately."

* * *

III. Snow and Emma

The castle was under attack.

It was around two o'clock in the morning when the bedroom door suddenly opened with a bang, startling the twelve-year-old princess awake. Snow White grabbed her daughter's hand and pulled her out of bed in no more than two seconds, quite a feat considering she had three-year-old Neal in her other arm. Emma heard shouts, clamor, and a sound that was completely inhuman as they ran down the hallway. She whimpered as her mother pushed her through the open door of the secret passageway. "Mommy?"

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay. Mommy's got you," Snow told her before closing the door behind her. A loud bang startled them both, making Emma scream. Snow gathered her daughter up in her other arm and made a run down the dark path. The adrenaline was rushing through her veins, and she was trying hard not to cry as she thought of her husband in the midst of battle again. They were terribly caught off-guard by the early hour. Despite her protests to help, Charming gave her a fierce kiss, told her he loved her, and pushed her to go get the kids and run.

There was nothing more terrifying than running, unarmed and alone, with two children completely dependent on her for safety. They were in good hands nonetheless, having Snow White as their mother. Emma had her face buried in her mother's shoulder, and Neal was thankfully still asleep despite the rocky journey. Snow had never been more thankful of him acquiring Charming's tendency to sleep through the night like a rock. She slipped out of the passageway without a hitch and soon found herself standing at the edge of the dark Enchanted Forest.

Emma looked up and saw the castle illuminated by fireballs, making her heart thud in her chest. She watched in horror as her mother carried her away. Snow's eyes were fixed on where she was going, her eyes were still used to her days as a bandit, so the darkness hindered nothing from her. She ran through the forest, suddenly feeling the weight of her children in her arms, but she pushed on. It was not long before she found her log, the home she never thought she ever need to see again after she got married.

Once inside, she set Emma down and placed her son in her daughter's arms. She looked for her locked-up supplies and sighed in relief when she found her makeshift mattress, her old bow and arrow, and a canteen for water. After preparing the mattress for her children, she eased Neal off of Emma's arm, told her to lie down, and followed her daughter.

The trio was quiet for a moment, the sounds of battle faint in the distance. Emma pushed herself closer to her mother, making the latter smile a little. Snow ran her free hand through her daughter's hair as she hummed a tune from long ago. It was something Emma loved to hear before she sleeps, hopefully it would calm her a little, the mother hoped. "Mommy?" she whispered.

"Yes, baby?" she asked softly, careful not to wake Neal.

The princess's green eyes looked up at her, lower lip quivering with emotion. "Are we going to die?"

Snow pulled her daughter closer to her before giving her a kiss on the head. "No, Emma. Nobody's dying. We're going to be fine. We just have to stay here for a little while."

"When it's over, we're going home, right?" Emma asked.

"We're going home," Snow confirmed.

The little girl nodded solemnly. Snow placed Neal gently down beside her, giving him a sweet kiss, before opening her arms up for her distraught daughter. "Come here."

Emma immediately climbed into her mother's arms and rested her head on her shoulder. She smiled as Snow started to hum her favorite song and brush through her golden hair. Her smile disappeared almost immediately as she remembered someone missing. "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

The singing stopped, and her hand stilled. Emma looked up at Snow with frightened eyes. "Daddy's okay, right, Mommy? He's – he's not –."

"He's okay, baby," Snow whispered, cupping her daughter's face in her hands. "He's okay. I promise you, he will come back for us."

Emma's heart sank as she thought of her father in battle. She may be just eleven, but she did notice the wavering tone in her mother's voice. "But – but what if –?"

"What do I always tell you about your father?" Snow asked, brushing away a strand of hair from her face.

Her daughter paused for a moment before answering. "Daddy's a hero."

"And what do heroes do, Emma?"

"They protect the people they love."

"Exactly."

Tears filled her eyes as she whispered, "But I don't want Daddy to die."

"He won't," Snow told her firmly. "Nobody's dying tonight, sweetheart, especially not your father."

* * *

IV. Emma met Lily

One of the things Princess Emma loved to do during her free time was to discover her mother's hiding places back when she was still a bandit. Snow White always told her the most awesome bedtime stories back when she was younger, and Emma had retained them in her memory. Her parents would probably throw a fit if they found out she was exploring the forest without her guards by her side, but the reality was this was her mother's secret. It was something that she would never want to share with anyone else.

Also, it felt like she was a bandit herself. Emma always loved the idea of missions and danger. And boy, was her family a magnet for them.

Sierra neighed in protest as Emma pulled the reigns back to stop her horse, smiling as she found the log her mother told her became her temporary home. She dismounted her horse, tied her to a nearby tree, and went over to investigate. She pulled back the vines that became the makeshift curtains and stepped inside.

It did not look like much until she scrutinized it a bit more. There was a rolled-up mattress looking thing mounted on the wall. Emma ran her hands over the back of the log and stopped when she found something odd. She pushed it lightly, and it showed her a secret closet containing her mother's old bow and arrow.

"Oh, Mom, you are so awesome," Emma whispered to herself before closing it again. It was something that might come in handy in an emergency situation. Besides, she brought her own bow and arrow in case she gets into trouble. She walked around a bit more before she remembered something.

It was a rainy night. Snow was about to blow off the candle when her little girl spoke up. "Mommy?" she then asked, making her look down at her daughter. Emma blushed as she played with her baby blanket. "How did you and Daddy meet?"

Snow let out a cute laugh, wondering how her daughter could be anymore endearing. Even though she had told her a thousand times before, she then proceeded to tell her daughter the most romantic tale that started with a rock to the face and a hilarious first talk that involved a net and a tree. Emma walked out of the log before looking at her left. Sure enough, there was an old worn-down net on the forest floor, untouched through the years.

"Who would've thought?" Emma grinned to herself, crouching down to touch it.

After a while of looking around, she decided to go down to the stream where she and her father usually went during their adventures to get some water for her and Sierra. The forest was eerily quiet for her liking as she rode through. Emma bit her lower lip before making Sierra go faster.

A sinister laugh made her blood run cold. Urging Sierra to go faster, Emma suddenly found herself being thrown back off her horse. Sierra stood on her hind legs, giving out a loud neigh, before she stormed off in another direction, leaving the princess on the forest floor. Emma pushed herself up to her feet, shrugging off the dirt on her cloak. A girl was standing a few feet away from her, startling her. She was wearing a beautiful black dress and cloak with her dark hair in a side braid. Her big brown eyes looked terrified at hers.

"Run!" the girl mouthed to her, running over to her. The girl grabbed her arm and started to pull her in the other direction. The sinister laugh started once again, sending shivers down the princess's spine. "Faster!" the girl urged her.

"Who's chasing us?" Emma asked her in panic, slightly out of breath.

"My mother!"

* * *

V. Killian and Neal

Killian Jones found himself walking up the steps of the palace, wondering yet again what in the world he was getting himself into.

The thing was he and the princess were getting pretty close, and she was the only girl in the entire realm not to realize the feelings he developed for her. Even the castle staff gave him teasing glances whenever they were found walking around the halls together. Only Emma seemed to be oblivious to his growing affection for her that it is already starting to get into his nerves. The only way, he realized, was to ask her father's permission to court her. Telling her brother to tell her seem like the wimpiest thing a man could do. He was a gentleman, and gentlemen do things the right way.

Even though it may quite possibly cause him either castration or an execution.

Killian ran into Prince Neal on the way to the throne room, much to the latter's surprise. "Killian! I did not know you and Emma have anything scheduled today," the prince said, crossing his arms over his chest. The prince remembered he and Emma having plans on going riding in the forest later in the afternoon.

"We don't actually," Killian replied with a small smile. He was nervous enough, he did not need to explain himself to the prince who expressed his particular dislike for him openly. "I – uh – I came here to request an audience with the king."

Neal's eyebrows rose up to his hairline. He knew what that meant; he was not naïve. "Oh, is that so? Is my father aware you two are meeting today?"

"Well – no."

The prince regarded him for a moment before giving him a small smile. "Okay. Well, allow me to accompany you then."

Killian gestured for him to go ahead. "Lead the way then, your highness."

The king was not in his throne room, apparently. Neal led him up to a stairwell and into a series of hallways before they arrived at their destination. The guards opened the door for them, announcing their arrival, "Prince Neal and Sir Killian, your majesty."

Sir Killian, he thought to himself. Nice ring to it.

King James looked up from his table with surprise evident on his handsome features. "Neal and Killian. Never have I thought of seeing you two together. Is there something I should know?" he asked, sending a wink to his son.

Neal gave his father a look, making him chuckle. Killian was a little late in realizing that it was a joke, given his jittery nerves. He let out a nervous laugh that made the air slightly awkward.

Damn it, Killian. Get yourself together.

"So," James started, placing his pen down. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Neal gestured towards Killian. "Well, Dad, I bumped into Killian earlier, and he said he wanted an audience with you. He was going the wrong way, so I brought him up here to see you."

"Thank you, Neal, that's very kind of you," James said, smiling up to his son. Neal gave him a look before the king sighed, "Yes, I am requesting you leave us to talk, son."

"Dad," he told James pointedly. "It would give me some peace of mind if you allow me to stay."

Killian chuckled, immediately getting their attention. "I won't do anything to his highness, if that's what you're insinuating, Neal. I just want to talk to him." James gave him a smile.

Neal sighed, "Fine. I'll be outside."

Once the prince was outside, he immediately got an idea and grinned to himself. He started to walk towards the family wing, intent on letting Emma know what was going on downstairs. If there was one thing Emma hated more than sitting still, it was being the topic of conversation behind her back. Killian was going to be roast meat once his sister knew what he was up to.

* * *

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	21. Anne got sick

**Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! A little something with Daddy Charming. Enjoy!

* * *

The castle was too quiet for the king's liking. Charming was in his study, dealing with another proposal from another kingdom to be looked over. Snow was away, visiting Ariel in Eric's kingdom. Emma was in battle with the ogres and was frightening Charming more than he'd care to admit. Not that he was doubting his daughter's battle skills, but he wanted her home safe with him. Neal was at the kingdom's borders with the knights, tasked to looked over a new development in the area. Annie was the only one left in the castle with her father.

Being the rambunctious princess that she was, Annie would be out and about by now, probably visiting him in his study with a ton of questions not relating in any way to his work. Dannie, the princess's nanny, would have gone to his study already, frantic with another report of his daughter's mischief. Jacob, the family's steward, would have already knocked on his door, requesting his presence in the kitchen because of another fire. There were a lot of things not happening right now that made him worried.

Knowing that he would not to be able to understand the proposal without easing his worry, Charming stood up and went searching for his daughter. He searched the ballroom, the place where he almost always found her twirling and giggling as she fell to the floor. The stables, somewhere she went whenever she wanted to spend time with her favorite mare. The War Room, where she would attempt to ransack through the weaponry in search of something that would interest her. The kitchen, where she would try to make her mother's special hot cocoa but unknowingly sets something on fire. But she was nowhere to be seen.

His blood was starting to boil at the thought of the guards not doing their job in protecting his children again when he reached the family wing. The guard he passed by immediately straightened up in attention, greeting him, "Your Majesty."

"Where is my daughter?" he asked him.

"She's in her bedroom, Sir," the guard answered him promptly. His worry spiked up. Annie was not one to stay inside the confines of her room all day. "She has not left since last night."

"Thank you," he replied distractedly and made his way to the end of the hall where his daughter's room was located. He knocked three times and waited. When she did not answer, Charming quietly opened the door and let out a sigh of relief when he saw her. But the relief was short-lived. Why was she still sleeping? It's nearing noon.

Charming went over and sat down beside Annie, watching her breathe in and out, marveling at how similar she and Snow looked. Even at the age of eleven, she was already competing with her older sister's beauty. He could not be prouder of his heirs.

He reached over and felt her forehead. Frowning, he placed both hands on her cheeks. She was too warm for his liking. She stirred and groaned at the sudden contact. After a moment, Annie opened her bleary eyes before croaking out, "Daddy?"

"Hey, sweetheart," he smiled. His heart softened at her tone.

Annie sat up slowly, wondering why her body felt so heavy after sleeping. She yawned before asking, "What are you doing here? What time is it?"

"A little after eleven," he answered her, watching the surprise on her face. "I was getting a little worried because someone was a little too quiet." He lightly tapped her on the nose, making her face scrunch up. He chuckled before asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

The princess shook her head. "I was going to practice, but then I just can't get up from the bed. Dannie had my breakfast taken up here and asked if I was all right, fussing over me." She let out a frustrated sigh. She hated being fussed over. "I told her I was fine, but she did not look convinced. Did she tell you, Dad?"

"No," he answered, reminding himself to talk to Dannie later. "I wish she did."

"That's good," she nodded. He looked at her with questioning eyes. "I don't want to bother you, Dad. You have a lot of things to do."

Charming sighed, placing an arm around his daughter. "My family comes first. You come first. Remember that."

His daughter gave him a wan smile before he asked. "You want me to go get Doc for you?"

"No," she answered quickly, knowing that he would probably give her the awful medicine she was always forced to take whenever she was sick. "Is Mommy back?"

"Sorry, sweetheart. She's still away," he gave her a sympathetic smile. He suddenly had an idea. "Wait here, okay? I'll get you something."

Annie watched her father leave her room before sighing. Usually when she got sick, her mom would bring her special soup and sing her to sleep. It always did the trick, and the next day she felt ten times better. She wanted nothing more than her mother's comforting presence right now, but then again she knew that her father also had this over-protective sensitivity when it comes to the three of them.

When she noticed that he was not coming any time soon, she lied back down under the covers, sighing in content in the warmth. It was not long before she was again fast asleep.

* * *

The castle staff stood there awkwardly, watching their king carry a tray of food for the princess. They repeatedly told him that they could help him, but Charming refused, telling them that it was fine. That he had done this before. When he got to his daughter's bedroom, he let out a sigh of relief. Everyone was looking at him like he can't do the mundane things like carry a tray up the stairs. He was the king, not an invalid.

He saw that Annie was fast asleep again as he set the tray on the bedside table. He hated that he had to wake her up, but he had to. She needed to eat, and he needed the fever to break before Snow comes home. She would have his head when she finds out that he kept it from her. Before waking her up, he went to the bath where he got a basin of cold water and a small clothe before walking back into the bedroom. He set the things on the floor before sitting down on the bed.

"Annie, hey, sweetheart, wake up," he gently prodded, shaking her slightly. "Come on, Daddy's here."

The princess groaned, facing the other direction. "No, I want to sleep," she let out a soft sigh, burying deeper into the covers.

"Come on, Annie. I need you to wake up and eat," he replied, pulling her up with her arms.

Annie groaned before opening her eyes to glare at him, feeling the throbbing of her head as she did, "Dad."

"Anne," he said sternly.

She sighed in defeat, leaning back on the pillows, wanting nothing more than to close her eyes again. "I'm not hungry, Dad."

"I know," he said, placing the tray in front of her. "But I need you to eat. It's past lunchtime." He brought up the spoon to her lips. "Come on."

Anne felt a little weird, seeing her father take care of her. Most of the time, the princess saw her father as the king; the compassionate yet headstrong king that ruled this kingdom like it was his second nature. But right now, as he smiled at her and helped her eat her lunch. She felt warmth in her chest and a little pride. The great king, the one loved by all, was her dad. He stopped everything that he needed to do to take care of her. Most of her friends from High Court rarely even saw their parents. She was fortunate enough to have both fuss over her, know that they felt protective of her, and that they loved her.

She let out a small smile at him, "Thanks, Daddy."

Charming looked up at her in surprise before chuckling. "You're welcome, my princess."

* * *

It took a couple of prodding and a little pushing for the king to get out of the princess's room and get to work. Annie promised him that she would be fine and leave her in peace to sleep. Charming chuckled, knowing that his care had reached the princess's limit for cheesiness for the day. Annie was not the showy type, but he knew she loved them just as much.

"You mind telling me why I just found out that my daughter is sick?"

Even with his back turned, Chrming knew that voice like the back of his hand, making him smile. He let out a sigh when he felt her hand on his shoulder, making him look up at his wife, "I did not want to worry you."

Snow rolled her eyes before smacking the back of his head. "Ow!" he complained, holding his head. Her ring made it worse. "What was that for?"

"For keeping things from me," she answered before leaning down to capture his lips with hers. When she pulled back, she murmured, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he grinned before kissing her again. "Have you gone to Annie's room?"

"It was the first thing I did when I came home," she replied, walking over to lean on his desk. "She's feeling better. She told me you took care of it." She gave her husband a fond smile.

"You don't believe I can do it?" he challenged her.

Snow smirked. "Oh, I know you can. I just can't imagine Annie letting you do everything."

Charming chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, you have no idea. Your daughter's stubborn."

"Oh, so she's _my_ daughter now?" the queen chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She always has been," Charming winked at her.

* * *

 _Earlier_

I.

"Daddy, no!" Annie shrieked when Charming placed the cool cloth on her heated forehead. "It's too cold!"

"It'll help break your fever," he gently explained, keeping the cloth in place despite her protests. "It's what your grandmother used to do for me when I was younger."

Anne let out a whimper. "Daddy, it's too cold."

II.

"No."

"No?"

"It's why I don't want Doc to see me."

"It will be the reason why Doc _won't_ have to see you."

"Daddy."

"Annie."

"Fine."

* * *

Snow rolled her eyes. "Two stubborn people stuck in a room? I'm surprised the world hasn't exploded yet."

"It already would've when we got married," Charming shot back smartly, looking over at another proposal. The queen shook her head with a smile on her face. He looked up at her before grabbing her hand, "Hey."

"What?" she asked.

"Stop worrying. She's going to be fine."

She sighed before nodding. He let out a small smile before letting her hand go. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, resting her chin on his shoulder, "I love you. You're a great father."

"Thank you," he murmured. "I try to be."


	22. Emma growing up with her parents

**Author's Note:** Despite the fact that Season 5 looks very promising, I do miss Emma and her interactions with Snow and Charming. So here are some snippets with little Emma and her parents in the Enchanted Forest. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Also shoutout to 193julie193 of youtube who makes awesome Snowing videos. One of which was an inspiration for this chapter [ watch?v=OPIGOw_IAes]. Check her videos out!

* * *

Charming knew what a lucky man he was.

Despite the bumpy road of the past, the fact that it meant crossing paths with the love of his life compensated for all the heartbreak, evil stepparents, and what-have-you. The fact that it mean he was able to marry his true love made everything worth it. He leaned on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest, watching the two most important people in his life interact. The mighty ruler of the land, the beloved king of the Seventh Kingdom, had only one weakness. That was his family.

Snow White looked radiant as she sat on the floor, gazing lovingly at their precious Emma who was playing with her favorite toy rabbit. Her beautiful white ensemble made her look like an angel, and her giggle was music to his ears. The princess looked up at her mother and pointed, "Wabbit."

"Yes, beautiful. That's a rabbit," Snow smiled at her. Emma crawled over to her, and Snow immediately scooped her into her arms and started peppering kisses all over the little girl's face and neck, making the latter giggle with glee.

"Mama!" Emma protested, giggling as she tried to push her mother away. "Nooo!"

Snow gasped, pretending to be hurt. "Emma doesn't love Momma anymore?"

Emma looked alarmed. "No, Em love Mama!"

"Then she wouldn't mind if I…tickle her more!" Snow continued tickling her sides with her fingers, sending them both into fits of laughter. Emma squirmed away from her and saw her father by the door, her face brightening up instantly at the sight. Charming knew he would never get tired of seeing that precious look on her face.

"Dada!" she squealed, raising her hands towards him excitedly. He easily scooped her up in his arms and gave her a long kiss on the cheek. "Mama tickles!" she screeched again when she saw Snow coming towards them, teasingly wiggling her fingers in the air.

Charming laughed, giving his queen a long. "Now, now, Mommy. Emma doesn't like your tickles."

Snow gave him a pout, and he felt Emma relax in his arms at his words. "She likes mine!" he added suddenly before tickling her relentlessly, making her shriek with laughter. She wiggled her way out of his arms and crawled away, leaving her parents by the door. Charming chuckled as he watched Emma go towards her chest of toys, unaware of Snow looking at him like he was the most precious thing in the world.

"I love you," Snow said, snaking her arms around his neck.

He grinned, giving her a chaste kiss. "I love you more."

* * *

Emma watched her parents warily from her place at the dining table. They were unusually quiet, making her fear the worst. In her seven years, she knew that they rarely fought, and when they did, they usually resolved things before dinner. Now it was killing her to see them both so uncomfortable with each other in her presence. She felt tears in her eyes as she asked quietly, "Mom? Dad?"

Her parents' heads snapped up in attention at the sudden voice. "You're not breaking up, are you?" she whispered, afraid of their answer. Dad's face fell, and Mom's eyes watered as they looked at her before looking at each other. Their expressions immediately changed.

"No, baby," Snow said, giving her husband a small smile. "We're okay."

Charming nodded at his wife before returning his gaze back to his daughter. "We're not breaking up. Why would we?" he asked Emma with a little smile, tapping her nose lightly and making her smile. "We're the epitome of true love."

Snow let out a snort at that as she tried to contain her laughter, making Emma giggle. Charming pursed his lips together, knowing that he couldn't laugh until they've resolved their issue because that would mean an entirely different fight all together, but the look on Snow's face made him chuckle. It wasn't long before the little family broke out in peals of laughter.

"God, sometimes I hate that I love you so much." Snow told Charming with a smile playing on her lips. Emma bit the inside of her cheek from smiling when she heard that.

"I hate that I love you so much, too," Charming answered her jokingly, but the look in his eyes told her everything. He was sorry, making Snow lean over to kiss him.

Emma groaned, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. "No kissing in front of the daughter!"

* * *

"Daddy!" Emma cried as she pushed open the doors of her father's study. Her leg was scraped and was bleeding. When she noticed that Lancelot was in the room, she hastily wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. "I –." She couldn't look up at the two men because of her embarrassment, so she trained her gaze on the hardwood floor and tried to ignore the pain radiating from her knee.

"Emma?" Charming's concerned voice asked. It wasn't long before he was kneeling in front of her, placing his finger on her chin to make her look up at him. His eyes softened when he saw her tears. "Hey, baby, what's wrong?"

She sniffed before looking behind her father. Charming immediately understood, turning to Lancelot with an apologetic smile. His right-hand man gave him a quick bow in understanding. "I'll be back when you call for me, your majesty." It wasn't long before the knight was not of the room, and Emma was swooped up in her father's arms.

"Now, what's wrong, sweetheart?" Charming asked. Emma looked down and pulled her skirt up slightly to reveal a gash on her knee. "Oh, what happened?" he asked, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"Sierra threw me off," she whimpered. "She left me in the forest again, and I had to run all the way back." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks before she threw her arms around her father and buried her face into his neck.

He couldn't help but smile a little as he placed a hand on her back. It was a small graze, nothing the infirmary can't handle. "You poor thing. I told you not to go into the forest alone without a knight with you."

Emma sniffed. "Sorry, Dad."

After a little while, they found themselves at the infirmary where the nurses panicked at the sight of the princess with tearstained cheeks and soiled clothes. Charming waved them off with a grateful smile, telling them that he would take care of her. Emma was quiet as he cleaned the wound and placed a bandage over it. "There you go, princess. Good as new," he grinned at his daughter.

Emma looked unconvinced. "Daddy, you're supposed to kiss it." The seriousness of her tone amused him, but he tried to keep his smile from appearing. His daughter was adorable. "Or else it won't heal."

"Who told you that?"

"Mommy did." Emma answered him. He nodded, his expression akin to a man saying _of course, she did._ "She always kisses my booboo, and it always healed."

"Well, your mother's always right." Charming chuckled, winking at her before kissing the bandage. "There."

Emma smiled at him brightly. "Thanks, Daddy."

"Anytime, kiddo."

* * *

Emma was going to throw up at the rate she was going, but Snow didn't have the heart to tell her to stop. Not when the little girl was giggling so hard at her own antics. The mother rolled her eyes as the seamstress measured her for another gown to be done for an upcoming occasion in the High Courts. "Emma, you're going to hurt yourself."

The princess kept twirling as she answered her mother. "But Mommy, this is fuuuun – whoa." She held her head as she stopped, swaying a little on her feet. "Mommy." She whimpered, closing her eyes tightly as if it would help with her dizziness.

Freya chuckled as Snow shook her head. The queen went over to her daughter and made her sit down on the floor a bit, placing a hand over her daughter's head and stroking her forehead with her thumb to ease her. It took a little while before Emma opened her eyes, looking up at her mother sheepishly. "Can I go again?" she joked.

"What did I tell you?" Snow asked sternly.

"To stop," Emma sighed in defeat. "Sorry, Mommy." She noticed her mother's ring and grinned up at her. "Can I borrow your ring, Mommy?"

Snow hesitated for a moment before sliding off the ring from her finger. "Now, remember," she warned Emma who was looking down at the small jewelry in fascination. "This is very special to Mommy, okay? Your father gave it to me so don't lose it. Okay, Emma?"

Emma nodded. "Okay." Snow stood up and went back to being measured as the princess studied the ring. She tried it on each of her fingers, but it was too big for her. "It's really pretty," she murmured to herself, not knowing Snow heard it and was smiling.

After a couple of minutes, Charming walked into the room, turning the heads of the females inside immediately. Snow shook her head slightly as he winked at her playfully. Emma brightened up at the sight of him, "Dad!"

"Hey, princess," he greeted his daughter with a smile, wondering what she was doing with her feet. "What are you doing?"

Emma looked guilty for a moment, glancing over at her mother nervously before looking back at her father. "Nothing."

The word made Snow very uncomfortable, knowing that her daughter must have done something with the ring. "Emma Ruth," Snow said slowly, catching her daughter's wavering voice. "Where's my ring?"

Charming looked at his wife in alarm. "Your ring?"

The king looked down and saw something sparkling around his daughter's big toe. Emma wasn't looking at him, and he was trying to look stern but was failing miserably. His mother's ring was stuck around his daughter's toe. "What did you do?" Charming asked, coughing to cover up his laughter.

"It got stuck." Emma said miserably.

* * *

Snow walked into her daughter's bedroom, surprised to see her out on the balcony at the late hour. "Emma?" she called out, making the princess turn around. Her heart broke at the sight of her daughter wiping her tears before walking over to her. "Emma, your father is going to be okay."

"He doesn't look like he's going to be okay soon," the princess said miserably. It was the first time she saw her father after the black knights ambushed them by the river the day before. He looked so small in the big bed but smiled at her when she came to curl up beside him. "I feel guilty. I should've been quicker, and he wouldn't have been hurt that badly."

Snow sighed, making her daughter sit on the foot of the bed before she did. "You want to play the blame game?" she asked before continuing without waiting for her answer. "If I wasn't craving cinnamon so much, your father wouldn't have the urge to go fetch some that day. He wouldn't even be in that situation, and you would've have to kill those soldiers." Emma winced.

"It's just that…I've seen you and Dad get hurt so many times already," Emma said quietly, playing with her hands. "I don't want it to get to the point where I have to lose one or both of you before it stops."

"Oh, Emma," Snow breathed out, pulling her into her arms. Emma rested her chin on her mother's shoulder tiredly. "You don't have to be afraid of losing us. We'll be careful."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

 _Reviews make me happy!_


	23. Neal's Point of View

**Author's Note:** Neal and Charming fic! Enjoy!

* * *

The thing is I've never met anyone greater than my father.

There was one time when I was about seven years old; we had a family picnic by the waterside. It was just Emma and I at that time, and Annie was not around yet. My parents suddenly had a brilliant idea to take the kids out for the day. It was after our delicious lunch when I found myself playing with the smooth stones near the water's edge. Dad crouched down beside me and asked if I wanted to see something amazing. He picked up a stone, helped me stand up, and told me to watch him. I did with great fascination as the stone bounced on top of the calm waters.

It took quite a while for me to master the art; more often than not I would celebrate when I was able to get it to bounce even once. Dad was a patient man, and he would gladly help me out and tell me again that it was all on the wrist. I've yet to thank him for teaching me that given that it was one of the tricks I used to get close to Astrid during our first day out together.

Speaking of women, I was about fourteen when he talked to me about them. I could tell Mom forced him into it by the unnatural nervous aura he had the entire time. But, given his name, he got through it quite _charmingly_. Mom always admonishes him about not realizing how great a speaker he was. He had a way with words that I'm certainly most jealous of. It was no wonder that he was such a great ruler.

When I was nine, I got wooden swords from him as my birthday presents, and I surprised him with a hug that threw him off and sent us tumbling on the floor. Emma shouted that she wanted to teach me, but I told her I would much rather learn from the greatest that ever was. I used the exact words then, with such passion that makes me cringe as I think about it now. However, it was the truth. Dad looked as proud as a peacock, and my sister frowned, a bit disappointed. Mom looked at me like I've given my father the best gift ever.

Every available time Dad had he would go to the training grounds with me and teach me everything he knew with the sword. He told me that it takes courage, something that he learned a long time ago from a woman when he was still living at the farm. It was quite surprising, and he saw it on my face. He told me to never underestimate them, because sometimes – if not all the time – they are stronger than they look. _Just look at your mother_ , he grinned then.

Everything I know about the sword I learned from him. He handled the weapon like it was an extension of his arm and laughed when I pointed it out to him. He then taught me how he was able to do it, and it was something I vow never to forget. Because according to him – and I firmly believe it to be true – there is a thin line between life and death when dueling with swords.

When I was sixteen, the first girl I liked broke my heart. As much as I loved my mother, I knew she would just make me cry and 'let it out.' Given that I've already sought her advice, I did not feel like going to Annie for comfort. Emma was out in the battlefield; I can't really just march out there in the middle of the night because of girl trouble. Although I knew that she would probably think of great ways to take my mind off of it even for the night. Emma's good that way.

Dad was in his study as usual, busy with the stack of paperwork I told him to give to the administrators. They needed something to do. He would laugh it off and tell me it was fine. Given the lines on his face, I wouldn't exactly call it fine, but I knew my father was restless if not given something to do. He loved his kingdom way too much in my own opinion. It was noble, but I worried about his wellbeing.

The kingdom was in the middle of dispute with another kingdom during that time if I recall correctly. But one look up at me told him everything he needed to know. He stood up, placed an arm around me, and argued that anything on his desk can wait until morning. We went down to the sitting room where he got us both two glasses of brandy. It was my first glass, and he knew that. He just smiled at me, saying that if I were to have my first taste of brandy, he was glad that it was with him.

It burned all the way down. He just laughed and told me to slow down.

And I told him everything, from the moment I saw her to the moment everything went crashing down. It felt like the end of the world. When I finished, he continued looking at me and then asked if the brandy helped. I told him that strangely enough it did. He grinned, _good._ Then he proceeded to tell me – yet again – his and Mom's story. Although this time, he added a couple of things that I didn't hear about during my bedtime stories back then.

The dance on the cliff, the secret meetings they had, and the fight that almost threatened to tear them apart. It was kind of a relief – weirdly enough – to hear something like this happening to them. To me, my parents are the greatest people in the world, and it was nothing short of a happily ever after the way they ended up together. But if that happily ever after meant that they had to go through the same things most normal couples do, I'll gladly take it.

Because that means that the love of my life is still out there, and there will be a couple of bumpy roads ahead of us. But that doesn't mean that we won't end up like the famous Snow White and Prince Charming.

When I was eighteen, I experienced a fatal sword wound that almost killed me. I don't remember how they were able to transport me from the battlefield to the palace quite that fast, but the soldiers did it. I remember feeling dizzy as the blood loss continued and the faces blurred in front of me. I caught a glimpse of Mom and Annie crying and Emma – she came with me – barely holding it together. Dad came into my line of vision and jolted me out of my stupor – making me blink up owlishly at him.

Growing up, I got away with a lot of mischief, but other times I would be caught red-handed by my parents. Believe it or not, it was Mom who was stricter with me rather than Dad. After Mom was gone, Dad would silently guide me down to the kitchens and help place some ice on the red marks my mother left behind. I would tell him I was sorry, in turn he would tell me he forgives me and place a kiss on top of my head. The next day, the moment I saw my mother, I would run and hug her. I won't let go until she would say she forgives me. She does, along with a couple of kisses.

As the flurry of action around us continued, my father made me open my eyes and look at him as he told me something that made me fight harder to stay awake. He told me that if I was stupid enough to let go and let the darkness win, he would never forgive me.

Afterwards, when all the drama was over, I teased him, saying that it was the first time I ever saw him cry because of panic in front of me. He rolled his eyes at me and just told me to never do that to him again.

However, I did see him cry like that before that incident. It was the night of my sister's birth, and Emma and I were outside of my parents' bedchambers. Emma had her arm around me as I placed my hands on my ears, trying to block out my mother's cries. I tried not to let my older sister see the tears in my eyes as Mom's cries continued. If there was one thing in the world I couldn't stand the most, it was to see or hear my mother cry. It was something – to this day – that sliced through my heart and made me tear up as well.

The nurses guided us into the room after a few minutes of silence. Dad carefully placed Annie into my arms, softly telling me to be gentle. Emma whispered something excitedly as I watched with quiet fascination as my newborn sister moved. She was so small. For a moment, everything was calm in the world.

Until the seizure my mother had that made everyone in the room panic.

I held onto Annie like a lifeline as my sisters and I were escorted out. I would never forget the look of sheer panic my dad had on his face as he tried to help the doctors with my mother. I started to cry as well when we got to the hallway, looking up at Emma for comfort. Annie began to fuss as well, so Emma took her into her arms and tried to calm her and me at the same time. She did so quite well actually. The three of us quietly sat there as we waited for the verdict.

When we grew older, Emma told me that she almost believed that that was the night we were going to lose Mom. I was still too young to grasp the concept of losing a parent.

Dad stepped out of the room first, looking quite haunted and scaring me. Emma and I watched him silently as he kneeled down in front of us and gathered us all in his arms. My older sister started to cry, fearing the worst has happened. He hushed her and told her everything was okay, that Mom was just resting. He told us he loved us so much, and the sincerity in his voice and eyes stayed with me all these years. There was something else I heard in his voice that night – the pain of almost losing the person you loved the most.

My dad taught me a lot of things – how to fight, how to love, and how to live. He is in every single way the world's prince charming, and I was lucky enough to have him as my mentor, my friend, and most especially my father. That was why, during the preparation for my wedding, I did not even hesitate to ask him to be my best man.

He laughed when I asked him that calm afternoon. "Why? None of your friends want to take that place?"

"More of they don't really know me as much as you do," I answered him, quietly and honestly.

He looked at me with gentle smile and nodded, "Okay."

The moment he stepped up to start his speech I knew that I have never been prouder to have him as my father as I did at that time. Despite his status, his wealth, and his power, his aura of humility never failed to impress everyone that was lucky enough to be around him. He stood there, clearly a bit emotional, as he cleared his throat, a glass of brandy in his hand, something that we often shared during our late nights together.

I have forgotten the whole speech, but there was something he said that I am sure he knew I would remember for the rest of my life. Quite frankly, I bet that's why he said that on my wedding day.

"I am sure most of you know that I've loved only four women in my life." Laughter sounded from the audience as well as some teasing scandalous gasps. "Yes, of course, my Snow." A chorus of cheers erupted, making me smile and roll my eyes playfully. "My late mother, and my two beautiful daughters." I watched him look down at my mother and sisters sitting beside him with the kind of love I had seen most of my life. Then he turned to face me, "And I've loved only one man in my life. That's him sitting right there." He pointed up at me, making me smile. "Neal, I've told you this a thousand times before and I'll never get tired of saying it. I am so proud of you."

That would have been enough, but he continued. "But right now, seeing everything you've accomplished and witnessing you marry the love of your life," he paused, for dramatic effect or because he needed to catch his breath I don't know. But it was one of those things that a son would never forget his father tell him.

"I am so proud to be able to say that I am _your_ father. I don't know what I've done to have such a remarkable young man as my son, but I want you to know how thankful I am for that. I love you, son. Cheers."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Call your dad and tell him you love him.

Review!


	24. Neal and Emma went on an adventure pt 1

**Author's Note:** This is only the first part of "Remember when Neal and Emma went on an adventure." Hope you guys like it! Please tell me what you think. Also, feel free to give prompts (I can't promise I'll be able to do all of your requests, but I'll try!).

* * *

Magic ran through their veins, and they themselves were the only ones who knew they possessed it. The princess and the prince were riding through the forest, their light-colored hair wild because of the wind and their laughter echoing through the trees. They were on their way to their secret hideaway where they were free to practice their magic without worrying about prying eyes. Their parents, the king and the queen, did not know they had magic. They knew how they would react to such news, so they kept it to themselves. Prince Neal told his headstrong sister that their secret will come biting them in the ass in the future, but the latter just ignored his warning. He had long since given up trying to persuade the stubborn Emma to come clean.

Besides, having a secret did have a thrill.

Their secret place was a hollow log deep within the forest, similar to that of their mother's when she was still a bandit. Emma told him that she came across it during one of her rides alone. They have placed a protection spell on the log in order to shield it from the outside world. Inside, there were tons of magic books and things to practice on. They have always been warned that magic comes with a price. Although they have yet to pay the price, they were wary about that day.

And that day was today.

Emma went inside the log first as Neal scanned the area to check if anyone was around. When he was satisfied, he went inside as well. He froze when he realized that his sister was not alone. There was someone else in there with a wand pointing at his sister.

He was no ordinary human being. His scaly green skin sparkled in the light, his hair was curly and unruly, and his fingernails were long and dark. There was no doubt he possessed magic, in fact it would seem like he was magic. But given his appearance, it would seem that it was dark magic. That alone sent chills down the prince's spine. He looked like he came straight out of a storybook.

"Who are you?" Neal asked, hands charged with magic. "Stay the hell away from my sister."

"My, aren't you exactly like your father?" he giggled. His heart was thudding in his chest as he watched the wand still threatening Emma. "Prince Neal, pleasure to finally see you in the flesh. I've heard a lot of tales –."

"Answer me!" the prince shouted, not letting him finish. "Who are you?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," he answered with a low bow. He tucked his wand back inside his cloak, noticing how visibly relieved the two teenagers were when he did. "I'm quite surprised that Emma has not introduced me to you yet." He turned to Emma with a mysterious smile. Neal looked at her with questioning eyes.

"We want nothing to do with you," Emma told him lowly, standing beside Neal. "Now if you'd let us be…"

"Now, why would I do that?" Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "In fact, I have a task for you. A little adventure for the royals, if you must."

"As I said, we want nothing to do with you," Emma quickly replied.

He chuckled and started to pace. "Even if it meant your father's recovery?" he asked with a slight smirk and a knowing glance.

Neal and Emma looked at each other worriedly. Neal stammered, "M – my dad isn't ill."

"Not yet," Rumpelstiltskin said mysteriously. "Are you willing to take the risk that you might be king sooner than you think?"

"Enough!" Emma said angrily. "We will not have you threaten us and our father's life. He is in the castle and is more than well."

"I'm certain that you know that magic always comes with a price. I see the future, dearies. I know what is to come. Your magic will cause the death of your father."

Emma's heart dropped, and Neal felt like he had been punched in the gut. "No," the princess breathed out in despair. "We – we won't let that happen."

Rumpelstiltskin grinned, knowing now that he had their attention. "Now my task involved a deal. I will provide you a way to retrieve an elixir that will cure your father's illness in the future, and you will give me something in return."

"Why should we even trust you?" Emma glared at him. "After what you did to your own son –."

"My son has nothing to do with this!" he shouted, making them jump in surprise. "Don't you dare use him against me!" he pointed at Emma threateningly.

"Why would you even help us?" Neal interjected, going back to the topic at hand. He was afraid of what he might do to Emma. "Why are you willing to help us save our father?"

"Let's just say it is not his time yet," he smirked. A puff of smoke appeared, and there was suddenly a long contract in his hand. "Do we have a deal?" he giggled.

"What are you getting in return?" Emma asked, eying the paper warily.

"Your powers," he smiled.

"Absolutely not," Neal replied immediately.

"Really?" he giggled. "You're going to pick your magic over your own father? How selfish."

"You're the one to talk," Emma countered.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her for a moment before saying lowly, "I could kill you. Do not anger me, dearie."

Emma gave him a small smile. "I'd like to see you try."

"Emma," Neal warned.

The princess looked at the contract warily. "How do we even know if this illness shenanigans you're making up is true? What if you're just messing with our heads to get what you want?"

"Now why would I do that?" he grinned.

"Because you can," Neal answered. "And you will if given the chance, and you're taking it right now."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at him. "I see the kingdom is in fine hands with an heir like you, your highness. Unfortunately, I don't like wasting my time." He pointed to the contract. "Do we have a deal?"

Emma and Neal looked at each other. Neal gave her an inconspicuous nod. She looked at Rumpelstiltskin, answering, "Yes. We have a deal."

"Excellent."

* * *

After the two royals have made their deal with the Dark One, Emma and Neal raced back to the castle to check up on their father. Also, they were too spent to try to even think about their magic let alone practice. The king looked surprised when they burst into his study where he was working on the loads of paperwork. Neal made a mental note to give them to the administrators when his father isn't looking.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Charming smiled. "My two children coming to see me out of the blue."

Emma placed her hands on his cheeks to check his temperature while Neal sat on the side of the desk on the opposite side. "Do you feel okay, Dad?" Emma asked worriedly. "Have you eaten anything weird in the last few days? Met anyone suspicious?"

"I'm fine," laughed Charming. "What in the world has gotten into you two? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The siblings looked at each other, communicating silently. "I'm right here," their father deadpanned.

"We're just worried." Neal replied, tearing his eyes off his sister. "You've been pushing yourself too much with work lately. You need to rest, Dad."

"Oh, I'm fine." He argued, waving a hand. "I'm just sitting anyway. It's not like I'm exerting my energy for battle."

"No," Emma insisted, pulling him up to his feet. "Come on. I hear there's a fresh batch of chocolate coming in the kitchen right now, Daddy."

"Oh, I want hot cocoa with cinnamon," Neal added excitedly. "Is Mom home yet?"

Charming was about to fight back but sighed when he saw the amount of papers on his desk. He also knew that all his children inherited Snow's stubbornness, so there was no way out of this. "All right. I do need a break," he said as he wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders and gave her a kiss on the side of her head. He grinned at his son, beckoning him to come closer. Neal walked beside him as the trio went down to the kitchens.

* * *

"No, I'm not kidding, Dad," Neal countered as they sat down at the small table. They sat, as Emma was busy preparing the hot drinks on the counter. "One minute he was there, and the next he was gone!"

"I'm pretty sure one of the things Sneezy is not good at is hiding," Charming chuckled. "Maybe you're losing your touch, kiddo."

Neal sighed, "I swear. Sneezy's _really_ good."

"Yeah, good at being allergic to everything," Emma added, making Neal glare at her. "What? It's true! He gives away his hiding place just by sneezing."

The princess brought over their drinks to the table and smiled when the smell of the chocolate made the two men sigh happily. "Here you go, Dad," she said as she held his mug and offered it to him.

What happened in the next minute felt like everything went in slow motion. As she placed the mug down, their little sister appeared out of nowhere, frightened Emma, and ran out of the room. A burst of magic came from her hand because of the sudden emotion and affected her father's hot cocoa.

Before either of them could react – Neal saw everything – Charming reached over and prevented the chocolate from spilling and sipped the sweet drink. His children could only watch in horror as he put the mug down with a satisfied smile.

"You got the recipe right," her father smiled up at her, oblivious to what had happened. "Great job, sweetheart."

* * *

"No, no, no, no, no," Emma whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. "What have I done? What have I done? Rumpelstiltskin was right." She looked down at her shaking hands. "I did this."

Neal shook his head and whispered, "We don't know that yet. We don't even know what happened to the drink. He had only taken one sip before we took it away. Maybe it didn't have an effect on him."

Emma was hysterical. "He's never going to forgive me. Mom's never going to forgive me. Annie," she gasped. She looked up at him with a panic that he had never seen in her before. "Neal, we – we're going to lose him. We're going to lose our dad."

"We won't," he replied resolutely. "Rumpelstiltskin. We have a deal with him. We get rid of our magic in exchange for the elixir. It'll be fine. I promise you."

"We have to get to him," Emma said. "Now. We shouldn't waste any time."

* * *

"I would take it that you're ready for your quest," Rumpelstiltskin giggled when they stepped into his castle. He met them in the foyer, knowing full well they were going to arrive. "That was not long."

"Tell us what you need us to do," Neal said, a hand on the hilt of his sword. "We give you our magic in exchange for our father's life."

Rumpelstiltskin walked over to them with a smile on his face. A puff of smoke appeared, and a map was suddenly offered to them. "Once upon a time," the Dark One giggled. "Your father placed an egg inside the belly of a beast. Now I need you to take it back."

Neither of them flinched at the thought of fighting a beast making him grin. "An egg?" Emma echoed. "How would –?"

"It contains something that will help in completing the elixir your father needs," he explained. "Get that, bring it back to me, I'll get your magic, and the deal's made."

Neal looked at his sister for a moment as Emma watched the Dark One pacing. "Why are you helping us? What do you want with our magic?" she asked.

"Now, that's something you don't need to know that, do you?" he grinned. "Do you want to save your father or not?"

The prince snatched the map from his hand and studied it for a few minutes. From the looks of it, it would seem a full day's ride before they reach the castle. "Your magic is stronger than you think, dearies," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Powerful enough to vanquish the beast and bring you back home safely."

* * *

After Snow White has tucked Anne in for the night, she looked worriedly into the empty bedrooms of her two other children. It was getting late, and they were still not home. She made her way down to Charming's study and smiled when she saw him working. He never really understood the meaning of rest.

"It's late," she said, making Charming look up. He chuckled tiredly as she walked over to him.

Snow squealed when he suddenly pulled her onto his lap. She got her arms around his neck to steady herself. "I missed you," he said before giving her a chaste kiss. "How was your trip?"

"It was fine," she smiled, running her thumb over his cheek fondly. "You look tired."

"Always something a man needs to hear," he grinned, making her giggle. She placed another kiss on his lips before standing up. "Come on, let's get you to bed, my love."

He sighed and stood up, but his vision suddenly blackened and his legs buckled underneath him. Snow gasped, "Charming!" She got him back onto his chair. "Charming, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he murmured, getting his blurry vision back to normal. "W – what was that about?"

She placed a hand on his forehead and felt that he was warmer than usual. "You've been overworking yourself lately. Come on, you need to rest." She stopped pulling him up when he started to cough. She produced a small cloth for him. He grabbed it and coughed into it. After a while, the coughing fit stopped. Snow placed her hands on each side of his face. "Charming?"

"I'm fine," he wheezed out, giving her a weak smile. His wife looked down at the cloth in his hands and gasped when she saw blood.

A strong feeling of déjà vu washed over her. She stilled.

Her mother.

Charming has been poisoned.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Dun dun! What do you think? Please, please, please REVIEW! Tell me what you think. :)


	25. Charming gave Snow the ring

**Author's Note:** This is not yet the second part of Emma and Neal's adventure. I was browsing through old pictures of Once and came across one with Snow and Charming at Cinderella's wedding and was inspired to write this. I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

The one thing she knew would happen when she became a bandit was the fact that she would be alone. Most of the time, she would prefer being on her own on that particular day, but there was a difference between choosing not to have company and having no choice but to be alone. It was a spur of the moment decision when she raced to the nearest town and managed to swipe a dark blue – almost black – gown that was tossed away haplessly to the side by some rich noblewoman. There was a masquerade to be held that night – an event that she only heard because of the townsfolk gossiping – in honor of the engagement of Prince James and Princess Abigail.

But it was not as if she had any choice in the matter. She kept telling herself that she was only going to be able to feel like the princess she once was on her supposedly special day, but some deep dark part of her knew that she wanted James with her on her birthday. She doubted he even knew that it was her birthday given that it was never a topic between them whenever they had the chance to see each other. And that chance was a rarity, making every moment together even more treasured.

The wedding was getting closer, and if she were to be honest, it was frightening her. She did not have the courage to tell him to call it off because she was not that type of girl. However, the secret meetings they've had were already making her that type of girl – the one who destroys a perfectly good engagement. She kept reminding herself that the bride was the nag with the bad attitude, but she was still the bride-to-be. James told her that he was getting tired of finding and losing her, and she was as well. She knew that the moment she told him what she wanted – he would runaway with her in a heartbeat. But she just couldn't do that to him. He deserved better.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she watched the guests dressed to the nines present their invitations to the guards before they were granted permission to enter. She kept herself from groaning, forgetting _that_ part of the plan. She looked down at her dark gown and smirked – she just would have to sneak her way in.

For some miraculous reason, she was able to slipped through without a problem. Maybe the universe was finally giving her some slack for the night. She kept placing her foot in front of the other, trying to push down the urge to turn around and run. The music was getting louder as she progressed, and it was not long before she was in the ballroom, watching the party in full swing.

She grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing tray, hoping the spirit of the liquid would calm her down a bit. It has been a long time since she had gone to a ball, and it was just as she remembered. Joyous laughter, sparkling gowns, brilliant lights, delicious wine, and traditional dances were all present. She scanned the room for the one person that she wanted to see that evening and frowned when she couldn't find him.

There was suddenly a man standing beside her, asking her for a dance. His proximity and mischievous green eyes made her uncomfortable, thus making her politely decline the invitation. She tried to walk away, in search of her prince charming, but he kept following her. She held up a hand and said as politely as she can, not wanting to cause a scene, "I am sorry, but what part of 'no' can you not understand?"

"Oh," he grinned. "She's feisty, folks. I like that."

She suddenly felt like it was a bad idea to have come here. She had completely forgotten about the men that stuck to her like Velcro back at the balls she attended. Being the fairest of them all was not exactly the best thing in the world – look where she ended up. She passed through a woman who was considerably bustier than her and sighed in relief when the man diverted his attention.

Looking around as she walked, the helplessness was starting to seep in, as the thought of not being able to recognize him suddenly became a reality. Being in the middle of all these people and not knowing any of them, she never felt more alone in her life. She stopped, shaking her head, and was about to leave the room when a hand caught her arm.

Snow looked up at her captor and felt all the air in her lungs disappear at the sight of his blue eyes. His silver mask complemented his formal attire, which was something that she never saw him wear before. Prince Charming cleans up nicely. With his hand still on her arm, he pulled her quietly into the shadows and through an open door. They found themselves in an old hallway that looked like it's been years since someone passed through.

James closed the door quietly before turning to face her. Snow did not have time to react before he got her pressed against the wall and his lips attacked hers in a fury that she did not know she possessed. It took all of her willpower not to moan when he dug his fingers into her hips. She snaked her hands up behind his neck in an attempt to pull him closer. It was only when air became a necessity that he pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers. "What the hell are you thinking?" he whispered.

"I needed to see you," she answered softly before cringing. It sounded much better in her head.

A sound at the end of the hallway made them jump. Not wanting to be caught, James immediately got her hand and pulled her towards the opposite direction. A couple of hallways and a stairwell later, they found themselves in James's bedchambers, something that thrilled and frightened Snow at the same time.

"It's the only place they wouldn't be suspicious as to why I am here," he explained, seeing her expression. "If, by any chance, they notice my absence in the ballroom."

"Which I am sure, they will," she supplied with a small smile.

He shrugged, playing with his cufflinks, "We have time."

He walked over and cradled her face in his hands before giving her another kiss, softer this time. When he pulled back, he whispered, "You scared me." She looked up at him curiously as he pulled away her mask.

"Why?" she asked, taking off his as well. She sighed a little at the sight of his face. He doesn't know how handsome he truly is.

He shook his head. "You can't expose yourself like that, not this way. Do you know what could've happened if my father recognized you? Or if anyone else recognized you?" Fear was evident in his eyes. "You could've been caught tonight, Snow. Do you realize –?"

"I knew the risks, but I –," she sighed, shaking her head. "You're right – you're right I shouldn't have come."

James sighed before pulling her into a warm embrace. Snow felt tears in her eyes as he kissed the top of her head. "No, I didn't mean it like that." He pulled back and explained, "The fact that you're here makes this evening so much more worthwhile. I was getting bored out of my mind out there." She let out a soft laugh. "I just – I don't want you get caught."

Snow gave him a small smile and a quick kiss. "I just wanted to see you," she told him quietly, as if spilling her deepest secret. Maybe it was. "Just for tonight, I don't want to be alone."

He took her hands and placed a kiss on each of her knuckles. "I love you," he said, resting his chin on them.

She gulped, forgetting her fear for a moment. This was her chance. Damn propriety. She loved him, and he loved her. "Enough to run away with me?"

His eyes snapped up to hers in surprise. "W – what?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly, taking her hands from him. "I – um – that was nothing. Can I – um?" she pointed towards the adjoining bath in his room. He nodded distractedly, watching her walk away.

Snow closed the door behind her and leaned on it, suddenly feeling tired. The adrenaline throughout the entire evening was more than what she usually got at night in the forest. She knew she left him alone with his thoughts outside right now and mentally prepared herself for what he might say when she comes out. She was about to open the door when loud knocks came from the main door, making her freeze.

"Your highness?" the voice of the guard on the other side made her head pound.

"A moment!" James responded. Snow peeked out and placed a finger on her lips before closing the door again. She listened anxiously as the two men talked for a brief moment. Everything was quiet again before someone knocked on the door, making her jump. "Snow?"

She opened the door slightly, peeking out to see James's face nearer than she expected. "You can come out now," he smiled.

Shyly, she walked out of the bath and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, it was a step out of line, and -."

"Yes."

"What?"

James's eyes were bright as he took her hands again and said, "I love you enough to run away with you, Snow."

Her heart was pounding in her chest. This was really happening. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she asked, "Really?"

"Really."

She let out an excited laugh, making him grin happily at her. "So – so what do we do now?"

He thought for a moment before saying. "Tomorrow, same place at midnight. There are a couple of things that I have to secure before I go. I'll plan for everything. We'll go, and we can leave all this behind. I know there are costs, but I'll make sure that they can't hurt us." He grinned at her. "Just you and me, Snow White."

She smiled up at him like he was the most precious thing in the world. "I love you."

His face suddenly brightened up as he thought of something. "Stay here." He went to the far end of the room and searched for something inside a trunk. A couple of seconds later, he walked over with his hand behind him with a mysterious smile. "I'm going to give you something important to me. Consider it as a promise that we will see each other tomorrow."

The bright green stone staring at her made her heart drop. It was his mother's ring. Something he was supposed to give to his true love. She looked up at him in shock. "J – James, I –."

"No," he chuckled. "Don't worry. My proposal's going to be much classier than this." She blushed. "This is my promise that I am choosing you. Because a life without you, Snow, is something I cannot even imagine anymore. And I can't wait to spend my days dodging my father and your stepmother as long as I have you by my side."

Snow felt a tear slide down her cheek as she offered her hand to him. He placed it on her middle finger and smiled at her reaction. She nodded in understanding and looked up at him. "I don't deserve you."

"No, you deserve better," he said before kissing her. Knocks and a voice came from the door again, and this time it was his father. Snow looked up at him in fear, but he looked undaunted. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he whispered, running a thumb across her cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

What do you think? Review!


	26. Neal and Emma went on an adventure pt 2

**Author's Note:** Second and last part of _Remember when Emma and Neal went on an adventure_! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did writing it!

* * *

Night has fallen the moment the two royals stepped out of the Dark One's castle. Prince Neal felt a slight flutter on his shoulder and grinned in surprise when he found an old friend perched on it. "Jiminy!" he exclaimed. Emma gasped and rushed towards her brother's side in excitement. Jiminy Cricket was one of the advisers in the war council and was dubbed the wisest of them all despite his size. He most certainly won the hearts of the Charming family by being the one watching over the children when both parents were caught up with work. He had the many stories and songs that lulled them to sleep each night.

"Jiminy, you have to help us," Emma said, almost in tears. "You have to help us save our father."

Jiminy sighed. "I have come with news from the castle, but it would seem like you two already know of the illness that has befallen your father. May I ask how?" he turned his eyes to the dark castle behind them. "And what on earth are you doing in this place?"

Neal glanced at his sister before saying, "It's a quite a long story, Jiminy."

"I have been told that I'm a great listener," the cricket replied warmly. Emma looked at the cricket worriedly, afraid of losing time. "Who knows? I even might be able to help you achieve your goal." He glanced knowingly at the map in the princess's hands.

The two royals knew that lying and trying to evade the question would deem futile with the wise cricket. They sat down after reaching a reasonable distance from the castle, near a stream to be able to quench their own thirst and the horses'. Emma conjured up two torches to serve as their light on the way, and the cricket did not even react with surprise. "You knew," Neal observed.

"You two are not as discreet as you might think," he chuckled. "So what is this all about?"

And they told him everything.

* * *

"Daddy."

The king opened his bleary eyes to see his wife and his youngest daughter by his beside. "Hey, sweetheart," Charming smiled weakly, opening his arms for Annie. She climbed onto the bed and snuggled into his side like she always did with her stuffed bear in tow. Snow watched them silently, trying to keep her tears at bay as she thought of her and her mother in the exact same position years ago. The queen desperately hoped that her daughter was not about to go through the same heartbreak she experienced at such a young age.

"What do you have there?" Charming asked as Snow sat on his other side. She watched them interact silently.

Annie looked down at the bear before smiling toothily at him. "Neal gave it to me, Daddy. He told me to keep it safe for him. He also told me that you gave this to him when he was my age, and that was really long ago." She said it all in one breath, making the king chuckle lightly.

"Oh, yeah," he smiled at her tiredly, running a hand over the soft toy. "I won it at an archery booth in a fair. I guess your mother's skills has rubbed off on me." He grinned at Snow, who gave him her best fake smile in return.

Annie's eyes sparkled. "Maybe we can go again this year. Aunty Ella said that she's going to send out the invitations soon." Charming did not have the heart to tell her that he might not be able to go if his illness was going to prosper so he just nodded and gave her a wan smile. Based on his daughter's expression, he knew that she knew the danger he was in. she was quiet for a moment before looking at him in the eye seriously.

"Daddy, I need you to get better. Okay?"

Charming let out a cough. Snow immediately reacted to help him, but instead he reached over squeezed her hand just as his cough passed. He nodded at Annie. "Of course, I'll be better. You still have to teach me how to hold the paintbrush correctly, right?"

Annie giggled, wrinkling her nose in the process. "Mommy, Daddy doesn't know how to hold a paintbrush properly." Snow put on a brave face and laughed a little, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Hey," he protested, pretending to be wounded. He was running his thumb over her knuckles reassuringly, and she wondered how long she was able to hold on without breaking in front of her daughter. Her husband was _dying_.

The little princess giggled again, scooting closer to Charming. Snow's heart melted at the sight. "And when I get better, we're going to go get some ice cream. How does that sound?" he asked Annie softly, running a hand over her dark hair with his free hand.

Annie gasped, sitting up to face him. "Chocolate ice cream, Daddy?"

"Whatever you want, sweetheart. Whatever you want."

* * *

"And now, you're being tasked by the Dark One to pursue a quest involving Maleficent."

"Maleficent?" Emma echoed from the cricket. He was standing on the map they have provided for him to look at. She remembered one of the sessions she had with the governess wherein the latter insinuated there was a fearsome creature guarding a palace and a woman residing in it. She waved it off as a myth. "She's real, too?"

"Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming," her brother snorted. Emma rolled her eyes. "I remember hearing about this before, and I'm curious, Jiminy. Is she trapped in there or is the dragon her friend?" he added, looking down at him.

The cricket paused for a moment before answering, "Neither."

Emma and Neal looked at each other in confusion before saying at the same time. "Huh?"

"She _is_ the dragon."

Emma blanched. Neal stammered, "R – Rumpelstiltskin said that we needed to get something from _inside_ of her. How the hell are we supposed to do that then?"

Jiminy hesitated for a moment before replying. "From the tales I've heard, she will be transforming into the beast when she finds out there are intruders inside her castle. You two will be facing the dragon." He sighed regretfully. "And in order to accomplish what the Dark One asks, you would have to kill her to get that egg."

Silence ensued for a moment before Emma broke it. "We're doing this for Dad."

Neal nodded. Jiminy gave them what looked like a smile. "I wish you two the best of luck then."

* * *

The two royals raced through the dark forest with torches in their hands. Knowing that they could not afford wasting anymore time than they had, Neal and Emma thanked Jiminy Cricket for his help and followed the direction of the map. Their horses' hooves seemed to awaken the sleeping forest. Word was spreading fast. The king had been poisoned, and the two children were missing according to the cricket before they left. Emma tried to keep her tears at bay, and Neal was trying his best to keep himself together for both their sakes. They have to succeed.

God knows he was not yet ready to be king.

To this day, Neal won't admit to the fact that the darkness was his weakness. He could have passed through these paths during the daytime without any troubles, but put darkness and the forest together, he would not know which way to go. Luckily for him, Emma seemed to know her way around. She always boasted about how she inherited their mother's sixth sense when it comes to the forest. Neal knew it was true, but that does not mean he's going to tell her that.

After a few more hours, they've slowed down their horses as the castle slowing came to view. It was almost similar to theirs, perched on top of a solid rock foundation and surrounded by water, except this castle had an eerie feel to it. It was as if the mist came with it. Neal glanced at his sister and nodded before they got off their horses. They were going to have to make the rest of the way on foot.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin was busy spinning the straw into gold when the doors of his castle opened with a bang. "Rumpelstiltskin!" it was the voice no one in this realm would easily forget because it belonged to no other than the fairest of them all. "I need to talk to you." The Dark One held up his hand. In less than a second, he appeared in front of the queen in the foyer with a knowing smile on his face.

"Ah, Snow White," he grinned, connecting his hands in front of him. "To be honest, I was expecting you sooner." She was wearing her signature white ensemble, but her usual tumbling locks were twisted into a bun behind her head. She looked drained. "How is the family, dearie? Happy ending treating you well?"

"I am not here for games," she snapped. "Tell me what you know."

"You have to be more specific, dearie. I know a lot of things."

"What happened to Charming? I know you know that Cora poisoned my mother." He noted with a hint of amazement at how strong she appeared when saying it. "Who did this to him and why? And where are my children? I am willing to give you anything you want. I just –." Her voice caught, making her clear her throat. "I need my family whole. I can't lose Charming, and I might die if I lose Emma and Neal."

The Dark One regarded her for a moment, knowing full well how it felt to lose his son. "Give me your ring."

"W – what?" Snow looked surprised. She clutched her hand with the ring to her chest immediately. "Anything but this. Please. My husband gave this to me. I can't lose –."

"I am not going to take it from you, dearie," he snapped. "Trust me. Hand it over."

Snow looked conflicted before she slowly slid the ring off and gave it to him. She flinched when he giggled as the cool metal was placed on his hand. "What are you going to do with it?" she asked warily.

He waved a hand over it, grinning when it started to glow. "Funny how things seem to repeat itself." Snow looked at him, confused with his words. "A long time ago, I enchanted this for your Prince Charming to be able to find you. This ring led him to you in that coffin." She winced at the word, knowing how Charming still did not want to talk about seeing her lying motionless in it. Neither of them did. It was one of the things that neither of them wanted to revisit.

"Now, I've done the same. This time it will be able to lead you to where your daughter and son are."

Snow's eyes widened as he gave the ring back to her. She slid the ring back to where it belonged before glancing back at him seriously. "And your price?"

There was a flicker of a smile on his lips. "I'm a fan of happy endings." He paused for a moment before saying, "That is on the house."

* * *

The sound of their footsteps was the only noise inside the huge castle. They found themselves in what looked like a huge gathering area with massive glass-stained windows facing the west side. There was a staircase leading up to the throne perched in front of it. Neal and Emma looked around warily, their swords poised in front of them. No one seemed to be home.

Suddenly, there was a chilling laugh that greeted them, making them freeze in place. "My, my," the voice said. "The only visitor I received over the last decade was your father, and now I have the pleasure of meeting the two royals that have taken the hearts of the people." She sighed dramatically. "May I just say that I am quite flattered for your company."

"Show yourself, witch!" Neal shouted, looking around determined.

"With pleasure."

The stone floor began to shake like an earthquake was starting. Emma and Neal turned around and faced the huge beast that revealed itself from the shadows. That was when they realized how high the ceiling was just to accommodate the sheer size of the dragon. "Emma," Neal said, voice wavering. The princess stiffened, it was the first time her brother called out to her like that.

"For Dad," she told him resolutely.

The dragon let out an inhuman sound and spewed fire all over the place.

* * *

Snow White could not get her horse to run faster as the ring glowed more intensely. It was pointing her in the direction she was not hoping to see: Maleficent's castle. Her heart was pounding in rhythm with the horse's hooves' contact with the ground. She was not going to lose her children to that beast, not on her watch. With her quiver of bows and arrow behind her and Charming's sword on her waist, she was more than ready to defeat the dragon and take Emma and Neal home.

Never did she run faster than she did at that moment. When she stepped down from her horse, she heard the dragon from the inside and checked her ring again. It was glowing brilliantly now. They were here. She ran and pushed the huge castle doors as quickly as she could. She had only heard of this place from tales and never gone to it before. But based on the sounds she was hearing, she knew she was nearing where they were.

The moment she stepped inside the gathering area, Neal's sword just got pushed away from his hand by her tail as the beast ran after Emma. He did not see her come in and scrambled to get his weapon to save his sister. Snow quietly made her way around and waited for the right time to strike. "Emma!" Neal shouted, making Snow fear the worse.

She stepped away from the shadow of the pillar with her arrow loaded. Maleficent was towering over her daughter who was on the ground and weaponless. The side of her head was bleeding. "Step away from my daughter!" she shouted. All three heads turned to her direction in surprise. She missed the looks of relief on Neal and Emma's faces as she released the arrow.

It was not enough. Neal pulled Emma to her feet and helped her get to their mother's side as Snow distracted Maleficent with consistent arrows. "Your father's sword," Snow shouted to Neal. He looked at her side and was about to protest. "Now, Neal! Do not be stubborn now!"

Neal pulled the sword from the sheath and ran to the opposite direction. Snow got Maleficent's attention away from Emma who was hiding behind one of the pillars. They have to make this quick. She needed a doctor to check that head wound immediately. Maleficent's snout was coming dangerously close to Snow. She could feel the heat on her face just as her son shouted, "Hey!"

The dragon whipped around immediately. Snow was in the receiving end of her tail and was slammed to the wall quite forcefully. She was however able to see Neal bring the sword behind his head and throw it in the beast's direction just like Charming did to Regina back in their wedding. She could not help the pride that swelled in her chest before everything faded to black.

* * *

Snow could hear voices before her bleary eyes opened. She saw the intricate design on the ceiling and knew that she was back in the castle, lying on her bed. Her whole body felt sore, and she can't remember the last time she felt like this. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was a bandit hiding from Regina. Her train of thought was broken when a voice suddenly called, "Mom?"

Her golden-haired daughter was suddenly in her line of vision, making her smile. She was home. "Hey, baby," she whispered. Emma smiled tearfully, clutching her hand in both of hers. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Everyone's fine," she answered her. There was something different about Emma, and Snow can't place a finger on it. "We did it, Mom. Dad is going to be okay."

Snow let out a sleepy smile as relief washed over her. She was about to question what she meant about 'we did it', but the feeling of fatigue weighed down on her again. "I'm glad. Can you tell him – tell him I'm fine, too?"

Emma let out a small laugh. "I will. He's just resting now. He'll be up soon."

"Okay," she murmured, half asleep. "I love you, Em."

"I love you, too, Mom. Go to sleep. We'll all be here when you wake up."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you for reading! What do you guys think? Feel free to give me prompts!


	27. Snow did not want to sleep

**Author's Note:** Because I really, _really_ miss canon Snowing. I hope you guys enjoy this. :)

* * *

The soft pitter-patter against the tent was lulling Snow White to sleep after a long, tiring day in battle. She does not know how long it had been since she had laid down. However, despite her fatigue, she tried to fight her drowsiness, stood up, and stretched for the hundredth time that evening – actually near dawn – to keep her eyes open. She went to the trunk at the foot of her makeshift bed and started to go through her stuff for something to do. Her head and body were getting heavy by the second, but she definitely did not want to close her eyes in fear of what she might see when she does.

After Charming woke her up from the sleeping curse, the princess felt suffocated whenever she falls asleep even if it were just for a minute. She would dream of a fiery red room with no windows or doors and felt like she was back inside the coffin, unable to breath or cry for help. Instead of crying out loud whenever she woke up, she would feel frozen with her eyes wide open and her heart racing and pounding so hard that she needed to stumble out of her tent to get a gulp of fresh air from the outside.

The vulnerability she felt was slowly sucking the life out of her. Snow White was anything but fearful, but the curse did more than just make her sleep. It made her see her deepest fears, relive the worst moments of her life all over again, see the most important people in her life die in front of her, just everything that made her cry until her eyes were swollen and her throat dry. Her heart was being ripped out and pushed back in with these horrible nightmares. She never felt quite so drained like she did during those days.

It was torture, not having enough sleep the night before and having to fight a hundred men in the morning. More often than not, her injuries were doubling in number because of her ignorance, and Doc was obviously getting worried whenever he treated her in the evenings. She told him not to tell Charming, given that the latter had enough problems on his hands at the moment. Taking back the kingdom was harder than they expected, but they were not going to give up just yet.

Ransacking through her trunk, she found her huge cloak and decided to go for a walk outside. It was only a few more hours before the hustle and bustle of morning preparations will start. The sky was starting to lighten up at the sight of dawn, and the rain had stopped. She quietly made her way to the edge of the woods when something caught her eye.

Charming's tent.

They were engaged, but that did not stop Granny from setting up the ground rules concerning their tents. Charming was smirking the entire time as Snow stuttered and blushed, telling the older woman that there were still too many things to be worried about other than _that._ However, that did not mean that they alternately sneaked into each other's tents when the nights get too long. They just sleep, and Snow rarely ever gets the nightmares when she was with him. When morning came, they would come out of their separate tents like nothing happened.

"Your highness," one of the guards greeted her, making her wince inwardly for being caught. She was just about to step in the direction of her beloved's tent. "Is everything all right?" he looked at her worriedly. She smiled and nodded. "Okay – uh – is there anything I can do for you?"

Snow gave him a gentle smile. "Everything's okay. Thank you." Even her voice sounded different to her ears, but the guard did not seem to notice. He gave her a quick bow before returning back to his station. She contemplated for a moment before surveying her surroundings. She made her way to the forest, knowing the trail like the back of her hand.

It took her about several minutes to find the lake she always went to whenever she needed to think. It was a peaceful clearing that was surrounded, so it was away from prying eyes. She sat on the log, watching the colors of the sky shifting. She could feel the fatigue weighing down on her as her owlish eyes stared at the calm waters. Without thinking, she walked over to the edge and sat down on the rocky ground. She washed her face and neck with the cool water, willing herself to stay awake.

* * *

That night, Snow was writing notes on the strategy map Charming posted up in the meeting tent when someone came in. She turned around and smiled a little before going back to what she was doing. "Red doing okay?" she asked softly as she listened to him coming closer to her.

"Saving her might have wounded her pride a little bit, but I think we'll be okay," Charming answered, chuckling. He placed his hands on her hips before giving her a long kiss behind her ear. "How about you? Has Doc treated your arm already?"

"Yes, and I'm fine," she told him for the fifth time that evening. She placed down her writing pen to turn around in his arms. She looked up at him and frowned when she saw the worry lines on his face more pronounced, making her trace her thumb over his cheek. "Charming, we can do this. We're going to take back the kingdom or die fighting for it."

He just continued looking at her before sighing and looking down, "I know, and I'm not worried about that."

"What are you worried about?" she asked. His eyes met hers.

"You," he answered. She sighed and closed her eyes, if she were to be honest the latter felt incredible. "Snow, don't think I haven't noticed the way you carried yourself these past few days. You're tired, more than tired. You're not getting enough sleep."

Snow gulped, shaking her head. "I just – my thoughts are keeping me up. That's all."

Charming glared at her. "Don't lie to me, Snow."

Maybe the fatigue was to be blamed when tears suddenly pooled in her eyes. Snow buried her face into his chest, thanking him silently for removing his armor. Charming embraced her tightly, and she shuddered as more tears came. "Snow, you can tell me anything."

She let out a small breath before whispering tearfully, "I'm scared. I'm _so_ scared, Charming."

He pulled back and held her face in his hands. His expression looked pained as he saw her tears. He wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs and asked softly, "What? Why are you scared? Has something happened?"

Snow sighed, pushing his hands away gently. "It's – it's the sleeping curse. Ever since you woke me, I keep – I keep getting these nightmares. They won't go away, and I'm scared to go to sleep every night because I don't want – I'm scared of what I might see if I do."

Charming was about to speak when she added, a bit frantic, "And I'm always trapped in this fiery room with no doors and windows. I can't escape. It's like – it's like I'm back in the coffin again with no way out and I –."

"Hey, hey," he interrupted, grabbing her arms. "You're here. You're safe with me. Okay? I won't let anything hurt you."

Snow nodded before closing her eyes as he leaned closer and kissed her forehead. She placed a hand behind his neck and captured his lips with hers, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly. She ran her hand through his hair and smiled when he groaned at the sensation. Charming pulled back; resting his forehead against hers, "I love you."

She bit her lower lip, suddenly shy. She could never get tired of hearing him say those three words. "I love you, too." With her arms still around his neck, she asked softly, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

He gave her a gentle smile, rubbing her back. "Would that help you sleep better?"

"Yeah," she answered softly, suddenly tired. "Is that weird?" She looked up at him in worry.

"No," he replied, placing another kiss on top of her head. "That's not weird at all."

* * *

There was no burning red room this time.

This time, she was awake inside the glass coffin. She can see the people she loved peeking in with tears in their eyes, saying their goodbyes. She wanted to scream and shout that she was alive, that they needed to let her out. The dwarves, Red, Granny, and everyone she knew looked down at her for the final time. And lastly, there was Charming, her sweet, handsome Charming who did not make the dwarves open the coffin, who stood there with an empty expression she had never seen before. He leaned his forehead on the glass, his breath fogging it up as he squeezed his eyes shut. She wanted to move and hold him to make the pain go away, to tell him that he did not need to feel that way because she's alive and she loves him more than anything.

All too soon, he was out of her line of vision. She wanted to move, but her body was frozen. It was what Regina told her before she bit into that apple. Her body was her tomb. She could see them lowering the coffin into the ground and could hear her frozen heart thumping in her ears. Air was suddenly becoming a problem. She screamed and cried as loudly as she could, but it was in vain. No one can hear her. No one can –

"Snow!"

She sat up, breathing heavily. For a moment, she was lost as to where she was, her limbs felt stiff, her eyes seeing nothing. There were suddenly two hands on either side of her head, making her focus on him. Charming. He looked at her with wide, worried eyes. "You're okay. Baby, everything's okay. I'm right here."

Hearing herself sob helped her snap back to the real world. She could control her body again, she could talk, and she could hold him. She threw her arms around him. "It was horrible," she cried into his chest. She felt his hands stroking her hair and heard him whisper comforting words into her ear. "It was horrible. It was horrible."

"It's okay. You're safe now. I won't let anything hurt you."

When her sobs quieted, he gently pulled away from her and soothed her when she grasped his arm tightly. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to get a candle. Okay?" she nodded after a moment. He gave her hand a squeeze before quickly going to his trunk to retrieve a candle and a match. She watched him curiously as he sat back down beside her and was about to light the candle when she said, "I'm sorry."

He stilled. "What?" he asked in surprise. "Why are you sorry?"

"For keeping you up," she answered quietly, looking down at her hands. "You should be resting, and I –."

Forgetting the candle for a moment, he placed both his hands on her cheeks to make her look at him. "Snow. Don't ever think that it's wrong to need me. I love you, and soon you're going to be my _wife_. For better or for worse, I will always be here for you. So whether it be you waking me up in the middle of the night because of nightmares or you suddenly find yourself transformed into a tree –." She let out a short laugh at that. "I will always be here for you. I'll take care of you, and I'll love you until the end." She smiled at him lovingly. "Okay?"

"Okay," she murmured.

He smiled before striking the match and lighting up the candle. "What's that for?" she asked softly.

"It'll capture the nightmares," he answered her before giving her a short kiss. "My mother used to do this for me when I was a boy. It never failed." He helped her lie back down and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

"She sounds wonderful."

"She is."

Snow smiled at him sleepily, looking beautiful in the soft light. "I can't wait to meet her."

Charming grinned happily at her, stroking her cheek. "We'll see her soon. Now, go to sleep, my love."

She did, and it was one of the best sleeps she had in days.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! Reviews make me happy! :)_


	28. Snow and Charming attend Aurora's party

Snow White was playing with fire, and the thought made her grin wickedly at the mirror. Aurora was hosting a masquerade party in honor of her twenty-eighth birthday with a twist for the couples present in the event. No one is supposed to know who is who. With the party open to everyone in the kingdom, it will be a hard time to find their partners in the crowded room. The princess personally led her guests to their separate rooms, much to the chagrin of Charming who was trying to scheme his plan back in the carriage with his wife – fiancée in the eyes of everyone else.

"You could always tell me what you'll be wearing," Charming sighed before looking over at her.

Snow grinned. "But that would be cheating, darling."

He rolled his eyes, leaning his head back. "Are we seriously playing this game, Snow?"

"Why not?" she said lowly before reaching over to bite his ear softly. "You said you would always find me."

Charming turned his head to face her. "And what's my prize if I do?" he asked, eyes darkening at her tone.

She grinned. "Me."

One of the things Snow loved when visiting Philip and Aurora were the parties. These events, mostly hosted because of personal occasions, were not only open to the royal families close to the couple but also to the entire population – all social classes in their kingdom. So, instead of the pulled-back hair, tight corsets, powdered noses – anything that composed what was usually seen in royal galas, their parties involved a lot of bellowed out laughter, loud music, flowing drinks, themed clothing, and brow-raising dances. It was something that the princess did not want to ever miss whenever given the chance to attend. One night of freedom, what's the worse that could happen?

She came with Johanna, who was watching her princess latch on her earrings from her place on the bed. "I'm quite certain the prince is going to have a heart attack when he sees what you're wearing, Snow." The princess laughed, knowing full well how protective her Charming can be. If he had his way, she would be covered from head to toe, not an inch of skin exposed. Johanna smiled. "But I must say, even though white is definitely your color, black is not that bad on you, dear."

"Thank you, Johanna," she smiled, turning around to face her. "And thank you for coming and helping me get ready."

Johanna stood up and squeezed her hands encouragingly. "It was a pleasure. Now, go. You do not want to be late." She assessed her one last time before gasping. "One last thing." She went over to Snow's trunk and fished out the customized mask she did before the event. She smiled at the surprised gasp Snow emitted. "A gift."

"For me? Oh, Johanna, you did not have to." Snow said, eyes wide. It was a metal filigree mask with rhinestones embedded into it. Johanna helped her put it on, and she smiled when it was a perfect fit. "It's perfect, thank you so much." She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that almost her entire face was concealed with it.

Johanna winked. "Makes it harder for the prince to find you."

Snow looked at her in surprise before laughing, "You never fail to surprise me, Johanna."

* * *

Charming frowned as he felt the floor vibrating because of the music, he did not know that could even happen. Maybe he got accustomed to the traditional balls he attended that he failed to remember what it felt like to come to one of Philip's parties. He was forced to show up during one of them back when he was still under King George's scrutinizing eye. Fortunately, the crowd got so chaotic that his guards were unable to locate him as he fled into the night. He grinned to himself as he remembered the shenanigans he and Snow got into that night.

Philip had a mask that concealed only a half of his face, so it was not long before the prince was able to spot him. The hosting prince poured him a glass and forced it into his hand. "Here's to more nights like this!" he shouted. The people around them who heard him gave a loud cheer. Charming shook his head with a grin before toasting with his friend and downing the entire glass.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Philip laughed, giving him a slap on the back. "I'm going to go get some more. Enjoy the party, James!" he disappeared before he could even reply.

Good thing he was wearing a mask or else the scowl on his face would've set a bad mood to everyone who saw it. He would prefer having Snow by his side throughout this entire ordeal than to have to find her through the crazy amount of people dancing in the middle of the room. He prided himself in saying that he will always find her. With the experience of dodging an evil queen and a corrupt king under his belt, he certainly did not expect his downfall to be at a party.

He can almost hear her laughter with his words. Shaking his head, he stalked over to the food table to distract himself. He decided that wallowing in self-pity would not do him any good at all. Besides, one night of letting loose won't do any harm. The workload back home was killing him, but it was something that he should be taking care of given that he was the king.

But maybe, just for tonight, he was not king. Charming smiled to himself, conscious of the mask pressing against his face. Tonight, he can be just David again.

* * *

Johanna was not kidding when she said that Snow looked absolutely flawless that night, and the amount of eyes turned towards her proved to be a testament to that. Snow was wearing a black velvet dress that had an off-shoulder cut and ended on her knees. Her hair was pinned up in a messy up-do, her mask looked like second skin, and her lips were red as blood. She looked absolutely stunning, and it was thrilling for her to know that no one knew who she was.

Dubbed as the fairest of them all, Snow had her fair share of men gawking at her ever since she was younger. Some men had the audacity to overstep their boundaries, but she was taught to be courteous to every single person she meets. She could not fight back immediately but did so when she was certain no one was looking. A simple, hard step on the toes technique that she has perfected over the years never failed. Snow could easily protect herself in a swordfight. However, if you put her in a room full of admirers, she would need some saving to get out alive.

But now that no one knew who she was. Well…

She was standing off at the side, surveying her surroundings and trying to find someone who looked slightly familiar to dance with. She was able to spot Ella and felt the need to lecture her given how little concealment her mask provided her. However, before she was able to walk over to her friend, a man with two glasses in his hands blocked her path. She looked up and saw someone with a silver mask that concealed his entire face. "Hello, milady," his low voice greeted her. She was certain they've never met before. "I saw you walking into the room, and may I just say how stunning you look tonight."

"You may," she smirked, crossing her arms in front of her.

He grinned, offering her the other glass. Snow shook her head, "I'm quite all right."

"Oh, come on," he insisted. "I won't bite."

Snow regarded him carefully before taking it. Their glasses clinked together, making the man smile, "Are we supposed to introduce each other or let everything run its desired course?" he asked before sipping his drink. He noted with discontent how her drink remained untouched.

She immediately raised her hand up to show her ring. "I'm engaged. Sorry."

"Oh," he said, sounding a bit disappointed. "Well, I offer my congratulations then." Snow felt triumphant as she smiled brightly at him and nodding a bit. "May I ask where the lucky man is tonight?"

"He's here somewhere," Snow answered, looking ahead. "Aurora insisted that the couples be separated for the meantime for who knows what reason. I'm pretty sure my fiancé is about to lose his mind." She took a sip.

"I'm assuming you're of royalty then," he observed. Snow looked up at him. His eyes looked dangerous. "From what you've just said, I see you're close with the princess."

"Yes, we are pretty close," she replied with a tight smile. She gave him back the drink before saying. "Excuse me, I have to go. I saw my friend earlier and would like to talk to her." Before he could even reply, she immediately walked away, trying to locate where Ella might be.

From the corner of her eye, she could see him still watching her. Fear was slowly making her heart go faster, but she willed herself to calm down and continued her search for her friends. But if she were to be quite honest with herself, she would rather have Charming right now than to play this game of hide and seek. She shook her head; she was not going to back down from this.

"Ella!"

Cinderella turned around and smiled happily at the sight of her. "Snow!" she exclaimed before throwing her arms around her friend.

"You can recognize me?" Snow asked as she pulled back with a frown. "I thought the mask…"

Her friend interrupted to explain, "Well, people have to look really closely in order to know who you are." She looked down at her dress. "And don't you look ravishing tonight!" Snow smiled her thanks, feeling a bit dizzy. "Hey, are you okay?"

Snow nodded, immediately regretting the action as the world started to spin. She clutched onto Ella's arm with her other hand on her head. "I don't feel so good."

"Do you want me to –?" Ella asked with concern etched on her face. She stopped when Snow started to sway and grabbed her friend's waist tightly. "I can go ask Thomas where James might be."

"No! No, I'm fine," Snow gave her a fake smile. "You go have fun. I can take care of myself."

"Are you sure?" Ella asked. "Snow, I don't –."

Snow interrupted, her mind clearing a bit. "I'm just going to go get some fresh air. I'll be back soon." Ella slowly nodded after her friend squeezed her arm in assurance. Snow walked away as graceful as she could to the balcony area. She felt like she was about to throw up.

The balcony was quieter than the inside, and the cold breeze felt wonderful against Snow's heated skin. She placed her hands on the railing as she closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly. She felt better and turned around to go back inside. But the man from earlier was now in front of her.

"It was really starting to bug me when I could not recognize who you are, your highness," he started. Snow's heart was pounding against her chest. "Fairest of them all, they say. They are certainly not lying."

"What do you want?" she asked, making her voice firm. Her head was started to spin again, and she was fighting the urge to vomit in front of him to not look weak. She was starting to regret her decision of leaving Ella.

"Snow White," the man in front of her grinned, walking towards her slowly. She felt caged with his words and his actions. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the side, and she could not pull away from his grasp. She felt too weak to do so. Her limbs felt like jelly, and her head felt heavy. _What the hell,_ she thought as she winced.

She felt the cold stonewall against her back, and he was drawing closer to her. "Snow White," he whispered, his breath against her ear. She could easily smell the booze despite the fogginess of her mind. However, his dark blonde hair resembling Charming's made her think that he was her beloved.

"Charming," she giggled. He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. He lifted his finger towards her hairline to brush a stray strand away from her face. "I guess I'm your Prince Charming tonight, your grace."

Suddenly, her mind refocused. She tried to push him away, however her push seemed to spur his desire even more. She was weak, and he knew it. he leaned down and placed his lips against her neck. She squirmed and whimpered in despair, tears springing in her eyes. Her capture thought her whimpers were urging him to go on, making him grin.

His eyes swept greedily across her exposed pale skin. He praised her, "You truly are the fairest of them all." Snow suddenly remembered that she had a small knife hidden. She gathered her courage and forced herself to stay awake, pulling it out and pointing it against his neck.

"How dare you?" she asked, forcing herself to stay upright as he stepped back. "T – take advantage of women…" she felt so drained.

He chuckled, pulling the knife easily from her grasp. She gasped and staggered backwards when he started to walk towards her with murderous intent. "You're making this harder for me, Snow White," he said, sending shivers down her spine.

She regarded him for a moment. "You were sent here."

Grinning, he held his hands up. "Guilty." She felt herself sliding down the wall as her knees were starting to give up. "Now – the queen told me that she wanted your heart." He chuckled. "I wouldn't want to disappoint."

Her vision was starting to blacken. She tried to keep herself upright, but it was a losing battle. Whatever he made her drink was powerful. "James's going," she breathed heavily. "James's going to kill you."

"I'll take my chances."

Just as he said it, the door opened and revealed Ella, Thomas, Charming, Philip, and a couple of guards. Snow felt utter relief as she let her knees give under her. "Snow!" Charming exclaimed, alarmed at her state.

That was the last thing she remembered as she gave up the fight to stay awake.

* * *

Charming was hiding from her.

Snow could not find him and was crying for him until she woke up alone in bed. Her eyes adjusted to her new surroundings, making her remember that they were staying at Aurora's for the weekend. She felt Charming's side of the bed and started to panic when she realized he was not there. She bolted out of bed and was halfway out the door when she collided into him.

"Whoa, hey," Charming said in surprise as Snow looked up with tears in her eyes. When recognition set in, she wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face into his chest. "Hey, baby, you're okay," he whispered, rubbing her back gently. He slowly walked the both of them into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Stop hiding from me, you idiot," she cried. "The game's over. I don't like it anymore."

Charming let out a mix of a sigh and a chuckle. Snow felt him kiss the top of her head. "I never liked it in the first place, baby."

Snow pulled back and placed her arms around his neck. He gave her a long, sweet kiss before asking softly, "Are you okay?"

She shook her head. He tried again, rubbing her back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head again. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes threatening to close. Charming scooped her up in his arms, making her let out a noise of protest. "You should rest. You had a long night." He walked over to their bed and sat down with her on his lap.

"It was 'posed to be a good night," she murmured against his neck.

Charming let out a hum of agreement, leaning back onto the pillows with her still in his arms. "Don't worry," he told her. "The next party we will be having, I won't ever let you leave my sight."

Snow looked up at him with sleepy eyes. "You promise?"

He chuckled at how adorable she looked. "I promise."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked again gently, drawing circles on her back with his thumb.

Snow was quiet for a moment before she sighed softly, suddenly feeling awake, "I was stupid enough to drink what he offered me. After a while, everything got blurry, and I got weak. I went out to the balcony, hoping the fresh air would help, but that was where he cornered me. And that was when he started…" She closed her eyes and sighed, doubting neither of them really wanted to hear this part.

Charming knew what the idiot had done to his girl, made her drunk and touched her. He told himself to calm down, but the urge to punch something was strong. He carefully removed Snow from himself, giving her a reassuring smile, before walking away. Snow watched him with curious eyes then flinched when she heard him punch a hole through the wooden door of the bath. Someone needs to fix that in the morning…

She quietly made her way towards him as he rested his hands on the doorframe with a sigh. "I shouldn't have let you go to the party alone, I should've just waited for you. I was so caught up with…" She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her head on his back.

"Charming, it wasn't your fault. And I was the one who started the whole game –."

"No, it's not just that," he interrupted, turning around to face her. "Snow, I would die if anything happened to you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if –." He closed his eyes and exhaled angrily. "Damn it."

"Charming," she whispered, reaching up to kiss him. He did not kiss her back. She tugged at his shift and whispered, "David, come back to me." He looked down at her, hearing his name. He always felt goose bumps whenever she called him by his real name. "I'm okay."

There were tears in his eyes when he whispered, "I thought I was too late. When you fell – I saw the knife, and I thought –."

"I'm here, Charming. I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes suddenly darkened. "And don't make me mention that – that imbecile who had the audacity to –."

She reached up to kiss him and silence him, telling him silently. _I'm here. I'm yours._

He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. "I can't lose you, Snow. I don't think I can live if I –" his voice catches.

She caressed his cheek lovingly. "You won't."

"And I don't like sharing," he added, jaw set. "You're mine, Snow. No one else's. You got that?"

Snow gave him a satisfied smile. "No one else's."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** There's always drama going down when Snow and Charming attend balls... Maybe they should just stay home. But where's the fun in that? ;)

Might have another one posted as to celebrate the holidays - a little holiday lovin' from the Charmings. Also, don't hesitate to give me prompts!

Reviews make me happy!

Happy Holidays!


	29. Everyone was healing from the curse

**Author's Note** : Hello! Happy new year, guys! A little something with CaptainSwan & DaddyCharming!

* * *

"You're telling me – that in this other reality, I am an expert with such a weapon."

Killian's smile turned into surprise when Emma wrapped her arm around him in order to get the sword. She guided his hand with hers, "They say when you become an expert," she turned their hands in the other direction, with him scowling because of the weight of the weapon and the uncertainly of it all, "subconscious takes over." But the feel of her pressed up against him, her breath against his cheek felt so right. "Back in my world, that's what you call muscle memory."

She placed the sword back in its place. He looked up from her lips to her eyes and said, "Tell me more about this reality you want to return to. Us, for example – I, uh, sense that we may be close?"

Emma's smile turned teasing, finding his sudden shyness very endearing. "Very."

The scene shifted quickly, turning into the part the princess-in-another-life feared the most. Her father, the man who loved her the second he knew of her growing inside her mother's stomach, looking at her with an empty expression, void of love, something she had never seen in his eyes before. Her mother sporting an evil glint in her eyes that was so unlike her, and their body language towards each other was so different from what she was used to that it makes her want to cry.

"You're my parents." Both of their eyebrows shot up at her statement, his in curiosity and hers in mocking surprise. "I'm the product of _your_ true love. You taught me how to be a hero, you taught me how to believe in hope, and I do. And now, I need you to believe in it, too."

Her words fell on deaf ears, though. Her mother ordering to kill them, and her father heeding to her call, and her pirate telling her to let him go and go get her boy. Her boy? She looked back and felt sick to her stomach. He was not supposed to be here. Her beautiful baby boy, now all grown up, wearing questionable clothing, was looking at them with uncertainty in his eyes.

Her pirate's eyes.

"If I could help get things the way they were supposed to be, then what happens to me here won't matter now, will it?" Emma looked up at her husband in fear. He can't be serious. He can't risk his life _now._ "Now, go. Save your boy."

It took a whole lot of willpower not to correct him. _Our boy, Killian._ Instead, she ran towards their son, however she did not miss the part when her father said, "Is she worth your life, pirate?"

"I'm willing to find out."

Emma could not make her feet move, instead she wrapped her arms around her son and watched in silent desperation as her husband and father dueled. It was not a new scene for her, but the nerves were the same. She knew they were both skilled with the sword, but it did not help that she cared for them both deeply. She felt utter relief when Killian was able to knock her father down then felt sick at seeing the latter on the ground. Her mother got his attention and was able to turn him around, making her heart plummet.

Back in their reality, her mother always told her, "Never ever turn your back on your enemy. Keep them in sight at all times."

Watching her father's sword cut through her husband's flesh felt like she was stabbed as well. Her heart felt like it was pulled out of her chest and squeezed to the point of death. A baby's cry was heard in the background, but she can't make herself stand up. She felt immobilized by the pain.

 _Killian._

"Emma!"

She found herself waking up in a dark room, breathing hard in cold sweat. Someone placed a kiss on the side of her head before standing from the bed and heading over to the cradle at the end. Emma's eyes suddenly focused to see Killian bending over to get the distressed baby into his arms. "Hey, buddy," her husband whispered, walking back to her. His worried eyes looked at her, making her nod her head to reassure him.

The little prince had just gotten fed a few hours ago, so she doubted that he was hungry. When Killian sat back down beside her, she rested her head on his shoulder and smiled down at their son. He just needed a little attention, that's all.

"Look," Killian told him. "Mommy's here."

Emma closed her eyes and gave out a satisfied sigh. She was so close to losing all this, and their little boy was so close to losing his father. "I'll tell you a little secret, buddy. Your mother is a badass," Killian said, looking down at his son with a smile. Emma opened her eyes to look at his reaction. He was looking up at his father with wide eyes. "It's true. Sometimes, I still can't believe she's mine."

She felt tears in her eyes as Killian looked at her. "Killian," she whispered. He leaned over and captured her lips with his. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too. And I'm right here, and I won't ever leave you and bud. I promise." Emma let out a small smile and nodded. "As for you," he turned back to their son. He stood up and started to rock him gently. "How about going back to sleep for me and Mommy? How about that?" he cooed.

It took a couple of minutes to get the little guy back to sleep. Emma watched Killian placed him back in the cradle gently and kissing his forehead before coming back in bed with her. She moved over and placed her head on his chest, feeling his arm wrap around her middle in comfort. "Same dream?" he whispered.

"Same dream," she sighed. She buried her face into him and felt him kiss the top of her head. "You were dead, Killian."

"That never happened, Emma," he replied softly, rubbing her back. He knew she was still hurting, not just because of his death but also because of her father. "That was a figment of a mad man's imagination." Killian pulled back and made her look up at him. "This is our reality. No one, especially that damn author, will ever take this away from us. Do you understand?"

Emma gave him a slow smile before nodded, "Yeah."

"Good."

* * *

After hours of staring at the wall in front of her, the princess gently extracted herself from her sleeping husband's arms and went down to the kitchens. After the curse was broken, she and Killian found themselves back in their ship, about to sail away in yet another adventure, this time with their brand new baby boy. But she could not bring herself to go, finding relief when she saw the understanding dawn on Killian's face. She needed to be with her family now more than ever.

She was not able to find her siblings in that other reality. Seeing them alive and well when they've come back made her hug them so tight, they had to pull back to breathe again. Her parents were in the throne room when the curse hit, and they were hugging when the three burst into the room. Her mom had tears running down her face, remorse in her eyes. Her father kissing the tears away then hugging them all, telling them over and over again that he loved them so much.

They were still not able to find alone time in order to talk about what happened back there. Her entire family was busy taking care of their people who were forced into yet another curse. There were a lot of things to be done, and by the end of the day, they just pass out in their bedrooms because of exhaustion.

Emma had forgiven him the moment they've come back. That was something that would never happen, she was sure of it. Despite their differences, she knew her father would never take her happiness away from her. He would rather die than make her heartbroken. But the one thing that kept bugging her since they've come back was when he uttered the words, "I never did like pirates."

The princess found herself in the kitchen, making herself her mother's famous hot cocoa. It was nearly dawn, and she knew that she had about an hour before her baby starts to wail – this time for food. She was halfway through the cocoa when her father appeared, rubbing his eyes as he entered. He blinked owlishly at her before he smiled, a smile that warmed Emma's heart because she was so close to losing that, too.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greeted, walking over to make himself a mug as well. "You're up early."

"So are you," she observed, raising an eyebrow. She knew her father slept like a rock, and that day was not a workday for the royals. He didn't have any legitimate reason to wake up early. "Are you sleeping okay?"

He gave her a tight smile as he warmed the milk. "I'm fine."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him before saying, "I would believe you, but then that's what I say to Killian, too, when something's bothering me." Her dad cracked a smile at that.

"I guess it runs in the family," he joked, a sparkle in his eyes.

She laughed. "No doubt about that."

They were quiet again, him making his drink and she stirring hers.

"Emma–"

"Dad–"

They both laughed. Emma gestured for him to go first before wrapping her hands around her warm mug. Charming pursed his lips together as he leaned his hands on the counter. "I kept seeing your face in my dreams – you know, that look when I –." He stopped, biting his top lip. "And I – I can't help but resent myself because I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't strong enough to hear the real me inside my head, telling me _not_ to do it." He let out a breathy chuckle. "I guess, even with a curse, I can't help but love and follow your mother."

Emma let out a laugh before looking down at her mug. She didn't know what to say. She loved both Killian and her father dearly, and the situation they were in made things even more complicated than it was before. "Emma, you have to know that I'm sincerely sorry."

She felt tears burn in her eyes as she looked up at him. His eyes had tears in them as well, his face shadowed with remorse. "It was something that I can never take back. It will be something that will forever be engraved in your mind, and I wish nothing more than to erase that. But I – I don't know how."

"Daddy," she whispered before walking over and wrapping her arms around him. She started to cry when he cradled the back of her head with his hand.

They have no idea how long they've been standing there, just letting out the emotions that built up over the last couple of days. "I'm sorry, Emma. I'm so sorry," he said.

She pulled back and grabbed both of his hands. "I forgive you, Dad. I've forgiven you the moment we came back, the moment I got my dad back again. That wasn't you, and he will never be you."

Charming gave her a teary smile. He pulled his hands away to wipe her wet cheeks with the pads of his thumbs before giving her a kiss on the forehead. Emma frowned, tugging on his arms. "Dad, I forgive you."

He nodded. "I know. But that won't make the guilt go away that fast."

"Dad," she said resolutely as she could, her voice still wavering because of her emotions. "We're back. Killian's okay. You're my dad, and Mom's my mom. Whoever you guys were back there, they were not you. It was a curse, a dark curse that threatened to tear us apart, but it was futile. You know why? Because good _always_ wins."

Pride shone in his eyes as he smiled down at her. "And you're my dad," she added with a smile. "I know with all my heart you would rather die than let anything happen to your family."

He let out a choked chuckle before messing up her hair; missing the days he used to do that all the time. "When did you get so smart, kiddo?"

"Hey," Emma complained, pushing him away playfully. "But there is one thing that I will hold over your head, though."

"What is that?"

She sighed, looking at him seriously. "Dad, we really need to talk about the guyliner."

Charming rolled his eyes, making Emma hold her laughter. "I am already getting this from your mother. I will not let my _daughter_ do this to me."

"I mean, I knew you secretly loved Mom's stash given I caught you one time trying –."

"Okay, that's not fair –."

"…the eyeliner, and I would say it does bring out your eyes."

Charming pursed her lips at her, and Emma had to bite her lip to keep herself from smiling. "Oh, come on, Dad. It was a compliment!"

"Don't make me tickle you."

Her eyes widened. "Dad, I'm a grown woman."

"And you're still my daughter."

"Dad…"

Her squeals across the corridors woke the entire castle, including her mother who later scolded them both for waking her up with a panic attack.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! Reviews make me a happy girl!_


	30. Annie was 6, 16, and 26

**Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! Here's another one with Princess Annie through the years!

* * *

 _6_

Princess Anne ran through the hallway with a big smile on her face and a big canvas in her hands. Every staff member who she passed through greeted her with a slight shake of the head and a chuckle. The little girl with messy dark hair never failed to be the castle's ball of sunshine, even though she causes some of the weirdest accidents inside the palace walls. Some of which were quite hilarious after the whole ordeal is over.

The princess placed the canvas down beside the door of her father's study, straightened her dress, and smiled up to the knight guarding the door with a cute curtsy. He smiled down at her, waiting for her command. She got the canvas back in her hands, gave the guard a nod, and was announced to the people inside the room.

The people being her parents in her father's study who were in a very compromising situation, thankfully Annie has yet to know about that. Snow White tried to fix her hair as she hopped down from the desk as Prince Charming cleared his throat and sat down on his chair.

"Daddy, Mommy!" Annie giggled, running towards them with the canvas.

"Oh, careful, honey," Snow told her. She smiled when Annie offered the canvas up to her. "What's this?"

Annie beckoned her mother to come closer before whispering, quite loudly. "It's for Daddy's birthday."

Charming pretended not to hear it and fought the smile on his face. "Oh," Snow whispered and nodded, playing along with the little girl. "Should we show him now?"

"Yes, but it should be a surprise!" the six-year-old said with wide eyes, looking over at her father. Charming was looking at her, making her giggle and place her hands over her mouth. "Daddy, don't look!"

"Okay, okay," he chuckled, closing his eyes playfully. "I don't see anything."

There was a couple of shuffling before Annie said, "Okay, Daddy. Open your eyes."

Annie was perched on top of his desk with her new painting held up for him to see. She had a bright smile on her face as she waited for her father's reaction. It was a painting of their entire family in stick figures complete with the sun and clouds and grass and trees. On top of the stick family, 'Happy Birthday Daddy' was written in her childish scrawl. The picture melted the king's heart.

"Annie, it's beautiful," Charming said warmly with a big smile on his face before kissing her forehead. Annie grinned at him happily. "You made this all by yourself?"

"I – Neal helped me with the words," she explained. "But the drawing was mine."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Charming said, taking the canvas from her. "Where do you want me to put it?"

Annie looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "Somewhere you will always see it, Dad?"

He nodded, "I know just the place." He helped her down the desk and smiled when she immediately latched her hand to his.

* * *

 _16_

Anne felt really pretty today.

Her dark curls were pulled back in an intricate braid with some loose curls framing her beautiful face that was powdered and her lips tainted red. She was wearing a pale yellow dress which corset hugged her figure perfectly and the skirt followed her every move. She loved dressing up whenever the occasion presents itself, unlike her sister who preferred armors instead of dresses, and was especially excited as she waited for the arrival of a certain prince from another kingdom.

Up until the moment her maidservant came up to the room to inform her that the welcoming luncheon was cancelled, but her parents and brother were waiting for her in the dining room for their own family meal together. Disappointment flooded her face as she nodded and followed her out of her bedchambers.

Neal, thankfully, was very talkative that day and carried most of the conversation with her parents as she silently picked on her food. The three of them showed their adoration of her appearance that day, and she mustered a smile for them in return. She was hoping that Mateo would express the same sentiments when they met each other that day, but she guessed it was just not meant to be.

Ever since the festival back at the kingdom, they haven't been able to see each other. Other than a few letters via bird, they have no other means of communication, and both of them expressed excitement upon the news of their arrival to the Seventh Kingdom after the dispute in their home has been settled. Something must have come up that caused the sudden cancellation.

Anne was looking forward to showing him around her palace, show him the beautiful gardens, and share with him her love for the arts. Everything was planned out the way it should be. It just sucks that nothing was going the way she hoped it would.

"You okay?" her brother asked after their lunch. They were walking down the hallway together. Neal had lessons to attend to, and Anne was on her way to find an interesting book in the library. "You seem a bit quiet today."

"Yeah," she smiled wanly up at him. "I'm fine."

Neal regarded her for a moment and was about to say something when Will, the family butler, suddenly appeared in front of them. He gave them a low bow before saying, "Princess, your mother requests an audience with you in the gardens. She says it is important."

Anne gave her brother a look, making the latter smile at her and kiss her on the side of her head. "Go on. I'm sure she's also just worried about you. I'll talk to you after my lessons." The princess sighed and nodded before following the messenger to her mother's gardens.

Will left her when they arrived after she said that there was no need to announce her arrival. Anne saw her mother walking around the apple tree in the middle of the garden. She remembered asking why it was her favorite, but Snow would just smile secretly. She walked over quietly, preparing to scare her mother, when the latter said, "Don't even think about it, Annie."

She groaned. "How do you do that?"

Snow White smiled. "Bandit, remember?"

Her mother looked gorgeous, as always. She was wearing a simple lavender dress with her hair pulled back at the sides by a comb at the back. Annie always expressed her love for her mother's simplicity and wanted to be just like her. She fidgeted for a moment before asking, "Am I in trouble, Mom?"

Her mother laughed, shaking her head. "No. Why, can I not ask for a few moments with my favorite daughter without having to scold her for doing something?" she gave her a look. "Unless you did do something I didn't know."

Annie giggled. "No, Mom. I didn't do anything." She walked over to a bench and sat down before giving her a sly grin. "Favorite daughter, huh? I'm going to hold that over your head and tell Emma when she gets back."

"You do that," Snow chuckled. They were quiet for a few moments before her mother turned serious. "Is everything okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah," she answered a little too quickly. "Why wouldn't they be?"

"Well, you were a bit quiet at lunch today," she answered promptly. "Your father and I were supposed to talk to you, but he had to attend a meeting with the advisors." Snow crossed her arms over her chest, watching her flickering expressions. "Annie?"

Annie shook her head. "It's silly, Mommy."

"If it's bothering you, I don't think it's silly at all," she told her with a small smile. She walked over and sat beside her daughter. "Talk to me."

The princess sighed, scooting closer to her – something she always did since she was younger. "I just – I was looking forward to seeing Aunty Ariel and Uncle Eric all week." She gestured towards herself. "I even got dressed up and everything."

Snow was quiet for a few moments before she replied. "Huh. I was sure it was about a certain prince. I didn't know you missed his parents." She winked at her daughter playfully, making the latter huff. The queen chuckled. "Am I right?"

Annie hesitated before sighing, "It doesn't make any sense. I don't know why I feel like this, and it's not like we're close. Sure, we spent majority of the two days together, but – I don't know. It's weird." She bit her lower lip before asking shyly, "Was that how you felt with Dad?"

"Well," Snow smiled. "It was much more complicated than that – with the whole evil queen and evil king shenanigans, but yeah, that was what it felt like. It doesn't make any sense."

Annie looked conflicted. "But it doesn't have to make sense to make sense, does that make sense?" Snow laughed at her own sentence, making the princess roll her eyes at the joke. "Your father and I – there were more downs than ups at first. But if it's real, if it's true love," she smiled, squeezing her daughter's hand. "Then fight for it, because it's so very worth it."

Annie smiled brightly before biting her lower lip. "But, do you think – you know – is he the one for me?"

"You're going to have to be the one to figure that one out for yourself, baby," Snow answered, tucking some loose hairs behind her ear. "I, for one, am happy for you when you find your true love. Your father on the other hand might need a little time to process things."

The princess wrinkled her nose in apprehension. "Can you please tell Dad not to scare him away? I remember Killian nearly passing out back then."

The queen laughed. "I'll tell him."

* * *

 _26_

The bride looked gorgeous in her white ensemble but couldn't tame the butterflies in her stomach. It also didn't help her that her mother was anxiously fixing her gown every chance she got. "Mom, can you please relax? My dress is perfect." Annie admonished Snow playfully, looking back at her mother who was fixing the train. She glanced over at her brother, Neal, who was standing beside her, and whispered, "Where's Dad? Mom might pass out if she realizes he's still not here."

Neal was about to respond when Snow beat him to it. "Where's your father?" Snow asked, standing upright suddenly. Her daughter cringed inwardly before turning to face her mother. "Oh, now you've ruined the train again." She was about to bend down when her daughter caught her arm and stopped her. "What?"

"Mom, everything's already perfect," Annie smiled, squeezing her mother's hands. "My dress is fine, everyone's fine, and you're going to be fine. We are just waiting for Dad before we get this thing going."

Emma suddenly showed up, looking beautiful in her pale yellow dress. "Okay. Everything's ready inside. The groom looks like he's about to pass out, but that's normal. What are we waiting for?"

"Now I think I'm about to pass out," Annie complained, fanning herself a little.

"Dad decided that this is another perfect day to be late," Neal answered his older sister, making Emma laugh. She walked over to him to fix his collar as he glanced at his mother who was rubbing her hands together anxiously. "Mom, why are you so fidgety? Dad's always late during weddings. Remember mine and Emma's?"

Emma added with a laugh. "Oh, yeah. I remember him reasoning that maybe if he was late, the wedding would be cancelled. Then he won't have to lose me." She rolled her eyes, but they appeared a bit teary. "Oh, and he called me his favorite daughter." She winked over at Annie.

Annie huffed. "Please. Everyone knows he loves me more."

Snow cut in with a sly grin. "I'm pretty sure he loves me most." Her three children laughed, relaxing at the sight of her back to her normal self at that moment. "I'm sorry, I just want everything to be perfect. This is the last time I'm going to watch my child get married."

"Aw, Mom, now you're going to make me cry," Neal joked, pretending to wipe away a tear.

Snow ignored him, cupping Annie's face in her hands. "Have I told you how beautiful you look today, my little princess?"

"About a hundred times," Annie laughed, a stray tear rolling down her cheek. She wiped it away and shook her head. "Oh God, can we stop with the family drama and get this over with?"

"I'm here!" Prince Charming announced, jogging over to the foursome gathered in front of the closed church door. They all looked relieved at the sight of him. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not yet, but you were about to, Dad," Emma said before placing a kiss on his cheek.

Neal grinned, rubbing his hands together. "All right, everyone's here. Let's get this thing going! My little sister's getting married!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Reviews make me happy!


	31. Charming's Point of View

**Author's Note:** Well, this is the last one for Remember When. :) Thank you so much to everyone who've read this story from beginning until now. I can't express my gratitude enough to everyone who took the time to read and review this story.

For the past few days, I've been editing some stuff from the previous oneshots, making sure that the grammar and flow were okay. One of the chapters (Chapter 14) was edited completely and had a different ending, so you guys might want to check that out. I also took into account some of the complaints that said naming Charming James was a little jarring to read, so I edited that part for you guys. :) Thank you again so much, and I hope that you'll like this one last story in this little universe of mine.

Enjoy.

* * *

The world seemed a whole lot brighter when Snow White became a part of Charming's life.

It started with their secret meetings back when he was still engaged to Abigail. Each one of them was memorable on their own, but one stood out above all the rest. There was one night when he came to her log in the middle of the night, the place where he captured her in his net, because she sent him a letter that more or less contained an order for him to be there at that hour. Charming sat on a fallen bark of a tree that faced the entrance of her home and waited for her, not wanting to walk in on anything.

Snow came out wearing a white ensemble that made his heart leap to his throat. Her expression brightened at the sight of him, and her smile alone caused butterflies to erupt inside his stomach. She looked like a princess, a warm angel in contrast to the cold, dark forest. Smiling shyly at him, she approached him and explained that she stole it from her own closet. It took a lot of courage for her to do that given she was still on the run from the Evil Queen, and it made him smile that she went through so much effort to surprise him.

Charming was about to ask what the occasion was that made her do this for him. Snow gave him a knowing look that said that he of all people should know what say it was. When he showed her that he absolutely had no idea, she leaned forward, her face a few inches from his, and wished him a happy birthday. She used the nickname she gave him instead of his brother's name, and for him that made all the difference in the world.

He was about to stand up and kiss her when she jumped in realization, telling him to stay where he was and wait for her. She rushed back inside her log and came out a few seconds later, holding something that made him laugh out loud. She had a cupcake with a lighted candle on top. As she walked towards him, she sang the birthday song to him in a voice that enthralled him. Snow should sing more often. When she finished, she was sitting down beside him, body facing his.

Her green eyes glanced up at his after watching the candle the entire duration of the song, and her breath hitched as she did. Charming was watching her with a gaze so intense, so _loving_ that it made her heart hammer against her chest. He leaned forward and blew the candle, and the darkness came back like a dark veil thrown over them. Despite that, his blue eyes still seemed to shine as they gazed into hers. They looked down at her ruby lips before rising up to meet hers again, like he was asking permission.

Snow emitted a gasp when his lips descended onto hers, and her heart was thundering in her chest as their lips moved together for the first time. The cupcake fell from her hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck in an attempt to pull him closer. His warm hands were on her waist, gripping tightly as their kissed deepened. The only time they separated was when air became an issue, and Charming rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.

That was their first kiss, and he wanted more.

When they were fighting to take back the kingdom, there were nights where Snow couldn't sleep, and he stayed up with her. They would lie down on his bed, looking up at the ceiling of the tent, and would talk about anything that came to mind. When he says something amusing, her laughter made him smile, and she would lean up to kiss him, near the scar she gave him when they first met.

Being with her made him forget about the things that they had to face in the morning because, if he were to be completely honest, she was the only one that mattered. As long as he had her, he would gladly be on exile or condemned to another realm. Taking back the kingdom was something that she wanted, and he would gladly do it if it meant he had her.

Love was something that was irrational. It makes a man do crazy things, but Charming couldn't imagine life without Snow White anymore. He was like a moth, and she was a flame. He was constantly drawn to her. It was not because of the glory that came from marrying her and becoming the king like the dwarfs insinuated. It was because she was Snow. She's Snow, and he was her Charming. It didn't have to make sense to make sense.

On their wedding day, the one where everyone in the kingdom was invited, Charming couldn't stop fidgeting as he waited at the altar with everyone looking at him in admiration and with expectations. Those people were his responsibility, and he couldn't help but wonder how he got himself in that position. When he stood there alone, scanning the room and seeing all these different faces, it was then he realized the gravity of his position as their king. It was also then that he realized he couldn't possibly do it on his own.

Then, just like the clockwork of the universe worked, the door opened, and everyone turned to face the princess who saved them from the reign of the Evil Queen. Charming felt like his mouth had dropped open at the sight. There was a reason why Snow White was called the fairest of them all. As she stood there with a smile on her face, eyes directly looking at him as if no one else was in the room, he couldn't help but tear up at the fact that that woman was going to be his queen, his partner, his forever. With her, he could be anything, and he'll be anything for her.

When he felt their child move inside her stomach for the first time, he felt terrified. Running the kingdom was different from raising a child, and though both scared him he would gladly choose the former because of his fear of not being able to be a good father. Snow couldn't help her tears when he admitted that to her a few nights after. She made him sit down and told him that she was scared, too. Something that surprised him since she was ecstatic for their baby to arrive since the day she found out she was pregnant.

Snow told him that there were going to be problems, and they're going to face some challenges when the baby arrives. But that didn't mean that they were going to be bad parents. There was no way to prepare for what was about to come, and they would have to learn as they go along. Then she reminded him of a promise that they made a long time ago, that in whatever they do, they didn't have to do it alone. They had each other.

When Emma was born, Charming couldn't stop looking at her. She was absolutely perfect in every way and was so tiny in his arms. Snow leaned on his shoulder as he quietly talked to his daughter, smiling as she looked up at him with wide green eyes, her mother's eyes. For a moment there, he forgot why he was so afraid. Emma yawned, her mouth forming into a small o, as her eyes blinked sleepily making him chuckle. He placed a gentle kiss on her small forehead and wished her goodnight as her eyelids slid closed.

Snow always commented him for being a natural with their children. Emma loved every moment she had with him, Neal constantly asked for a duel with him when he wasn't busy, and Anne absolutely adored him and showed it by showering his study with her artworks. Whenever they got together as a family, the first person they ran to was their father. Snow often expressed her jealousy over it, but the children always found a way to show her that they loved her just as much. As he watched them talk and laugh, he couldn't help but wonder what he had done in the past to be so lucky to have the four of them as his family.

Then Snow would look up at him with a radiant smile on her face and his mother's ring on her finger, and then he would remember. Because he was brave enough to chase after the bandit that stole his jewels, brave enough to fight for true love despite the odds against them, and brave enough to ask the woman who was way out of his league to marry him. The woman who made him the man he was, the woman who gave him the nickname that stuck, and the woman who gave him the family he had always wanted.

He loved her. God, he loved her so much.

Even when their hair started to turn grey, the wrinkles on their faces were more pronounced, and the days suddenly became longer, he still loved her. For him, Snow still didn't look like a day over thirty. When he says that to her, she would laugh and tease him about his eyesight and his age. Neal would always be there with them, being the only one left in the castle since he was the new king. His son would laugh at their banter, often adding some jabs at his father as well. Anne and Emma lived with their own families, but they always made sure that they spent a weekend with them from time to time.

The day Snow left him, the world suddenly dimmed. That autumn day was a harsh one for him as he sat in this study while the children busied themselves with the preparations. Charming knew he was being a coward, but he couldn't handle it. The thought of life without Snow was foreign to him, and now that he was faced with that reality he didn't quite know how to cope. Emma entered the study, jostling him out of his reverie when she touched his arm. "Daddy, we're ready for you," she said, voice wavering with emotion as she tried to keep her tears in check.

Snow White was still the fairest of them all as she lay there in front of the entire congregation. It would seem like the entire population in the room had stopped breathing when Charming slowly made his way up to her. He looked down at her, tears rolling down his cheek, as he sighed. Running a finger down her cold cheek, he said softly, "If only true love's kiss would work this time, huh, Snow?" He smiled slightly, knowing that she would've laughed at that.

Snow White was the love of his life and forever will be. One day, he's going to join her up there, but he still had to make sure that the children were going to be okay. After Snow passed, the castle was alive with laughter and chatter again with Emma and Annie bringing their families in every weekend to keep him occupied. His grandchildren would shriek as he tickled them and played with them, making him remember the times his own children used to do that.

Prince Charming's life was a full one, filled with adventure, hope, and love. But if you were to ask him the best part of the story is? The one where everything seemed to fall perfectly into place after despite all of the trials along the way? The one where he knew his life was about to change?

It would be in the forest. When he being the gallant prince everyone expected him to be chased after the thief, who stole his jewels and distressed his former fiancée. The scene was always perfect in his mind. He would tackle her to the floor and take off her hood to see her beautiful face for the first time.

Then he would say, "You're a girl."

Snow would then grin at him. "Woman."


End file.
